Comparative evaluation of disc diffusion and Liofilchem™ MTS strip methods with broth microdilution for cefepime/enmetazobactam susceptibility testing.

Background: Cefepime/enmetazobactam is a newly approved β-lactam/β-lactamase inhibitor combination with promising activity against MDR Gram-negative Enterobacterales, particularly ESBL- and OXA-48-producing isolates. Reliable susceptibility testing methods are essential to guide its clinical use.

Objectives: To evaluate the performance of two commercial cefepime/enmetazobactam susceptibility testing methods, disc diffusion and Liofilchem™ MTS gradient strips, using broth microdilution (BMD) as the gold standard.