We compared the Remel Spectra CRE agar plate to CDC standard methodology for the isolation of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) from 300 rectal swab specimens obtained from patients residing in a long-term-care facility (LTCF). Multiplex PCR experiments were performed on isolates to identify specific Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemases (KPC) and additional -lactamases. Of the 300 patients, 72 (24%) harbored CRE and were PCR positive for KPC enzymes. The Remel Spectra CRE plates detected KPC-type CRE in isolates from 70 of 72 patients (97.2%), while the CDC method detected CRE in 56 of 72 (77.8%). CRE identification results were available in 18 h compared to 36 h for the CDC method. Remel Spectra CRE agar plates can provide useful means for a fast and reliable method for detecting KPC-type CRE and for accelerated institution of appropriate infection control precautions. K lebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemases (KPC) are predominantly found in Klebsiella pneumoniae worldwide and have become endemic in major cities of the United States (1-4). They have also been characterized in Klebsiella oxytoca, Escherichia coli, Enterobacter spp., Citrobacter spp., Serratia spp., Acinetobacter baumannii, Salmonella spp., and Pseudomonas spp (1-3). Although KPC-type carbapenemases are the leading cause of carbapenem resistance among Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) in the United States, carbapenem resistance can be mediated by many other enzymes alone or in combination with other resistance mechanisms, including efflux and porin mutations (3, 5). Infections with these organisms are associated with higher mortality rates than those infections with more susceptible strains (6, 7). Patients who are asymptomatic carriers can serve as a source for nosocomial spread of these carbapenem-resistant organisms, necessitating the prompt detection of carriers and institution of appropriate infection control measures (8-11). Surveillance for CRE is especially useful among immunocompromised patients, including those in intensive care and transplant units (11,12). Screening residents of long-term-care facilities (LTCF) prior to admission and/or transfer to a hospital may be of increasing importance, as they may harbor antibiotic-resistant isolates (13-15). Although they are rapid, PCR-based technologies can be expensive and limited, as they only interrogate specific genes that are being screened and a positive result does not always predict the expression of resistance. While traditional culture methods are slow and may lack sensitivity, the use of chromogenic media to culture CRE and other multidrug-resistant microorganisms (MDRO) may facilitate the detection of these organisms in a timelier manner (16-18). The purpose of this investigation was to compare Remel Spectra CRE agar plates to the standard CDC method for the isolation of CRE from rectal swab specimens obtained from patients residing in an LTCF. Remel Spectra CRE agar is a selective and differential agar intended for use in the qualitative and presumptive identification of carbape...