MBT STAR®-Carba Replacing mCIM Testing at the Microbial Diseases Laboratory Effective - February 05, 2025
As part of a continuous and ongoing effort to modernize testing methodologies focused on antimicrobial resistant pathogens, the California Department of Public Health’s Microbial Diseases Laboratory (CDPH MDL) will be replacing the modified carbapenem inactivation method (mCIM) with the Bruker MBT STAR®-Carba assay. The MBT STAR®-Carba assay is a MALDI-TOF based phenotypic method that can rapidly and accurately detect carbapenemase-producing organisms (CPO), including carbapenem resistant
Enterobacterales (CRE),
Pseudomonas aeruginosa (CRPA), and
Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB). The MBT STAR®-Carba assay will complement the existing lineup of CPO identification and testing services at CDPH MDL.
There is no need to specifically request MBT STAR®-Carba testing; carbapenem resistant
Escherichia coli, Klebsiella oxytoca,
Klebsiella pneumoniae,
Klebsiella aerogenes,
Enterobacter spp.,
Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and
Acinetobacter baumannii that meet the criteria listed in the Expanded Carbapenemase Testing Services Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) and ‘Acceptable Sample/Specimen Type for Testing’ can be routinely submitted as before without pre-approval. Testing is available for carbapenem resistant Enterobacterales isolates other than those listed above; please refer to criteria listed in the FAQs for acceptable isolates for submission.
Results will be available within seven to ten business days of specimen receipt. Expedited testing may be available with pre-approval from MDL and the HAI Program.
More detailed test information is available on the
MDL Services and Test Catalog webpage.
Additional information on CPOs is available from the CDPH Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAI) Program at
CDPH HAI website.
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