Comparison of multiple cefiderocol susceptibility testing methods against genomic determinants of resistance in bla NDM carbapenemase producing Enterobacterales

Background Cefiderocol is a siderophore-conjugated cephalosporin antibiotic used to treat multi drug resistant Gram negative infections, including metallo-beta-lactamase producing Enterobacterales. Antimicrobial useage is guided by antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) which is hampered by differences between EUCAST and CLSI breakpoints, methodological challenges of AST, and lack of information on clinical outcome related to AST.

This study assessed the agreement between AST methods under EUCAST and CLSI breakpoints in a collection of 57 blaNDM producing Enterobacterales isolated from a UK hospital network.

All isolates, including Klebsiella pneumoniae, Enterobacter hormaechei, Escherichia coli and Citrobacter freundii, were whole-genome sequenced and tested with disk diffusion and MIC gradient test strip, and broth microdilution MICs were determined for a subset. Categorical agreement between methods was calculated using both EUCAST and CLSI breakpoints. Mutations and acquired resistance genes associated with cefiderocol resistance were identified and compared with AST results.

The disk diffusion method, based on EUCAST interpretation, classified 94.7% of isolates as cefiderocol resistant and 5.3% as susceptible, with 22.8% within the Area of Technical Uncertainty. The CLSI breakpoint classified one isolate as resistant (1.8%) and 5.26% intermediate. Category agreement of broth microdilution and disk diffusion for E. coli using EUCAST guidelines was 38.5%. Mutations associated with cefiderocol resistance were highly prevalent and varied between species.

The discordant EUCAST and CLSI breakpoint values provided have large impacts on the classification of isolates susceptibility to cefiderocol, which will impact global cefiderocol usage and surveillance of resistance, further complicated by poor agreement between AST methods. Competing Interest Statement The authors have declared no competing interest.