[A rapid penicillinase paper strip test for the detection of beta-lactamase]

The penicillinase paper strip beta-lactamase detecting test is an easy and rapid method which gives the information about some organism susceptibility to penicillins, immediately after their primary isolation. This information is important in serious infection treatment. This test is a modification of the standard iodometric test and is performed on paper penicillin and starch impregnated strips. The paper penicillinase strip test has been evaluated in speed, accuracy and value; it was compared with iodometric test, nitrocefin test and penicillin susceptibility test. The following fresh clinical isolates were used: 247 Staphylococcus aureus strains, 20 Staphylococcus epidermidis strains and 36 Haemophilus influenzae strains; total 303 isolates. The high correlation among all three tests mentioned in beta-lactamase detection was found as well as the correlation between penicillin susceptibility and this enzyme production. The sequence of susceptibility of the tests used is obtained as follows: nitrocefin test, paper penicillinase strip test, iodometric test.