ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Nitrocefin

Nitrocefin is a medicine that helps doctors check whether bacteria are harmful or not. It is like a detective that helps the doctors find the bad guys.

When doctors see bacteria growing in a lab, they use nitrocefin to detect if they are harmful bacteria or not. Nitrocefin detects whether the bacteria have something called beta-lactamase, which helps them resist other medicines that kill bacteria.

Think of it like a lock and key. The bacteria's beta-lactamase is the lock, and nitrocefin is the key. If the key fits in the lock, then the bacteria has beta-lactamase, which means it could be harmful.

Doctors can also use nitrocefin to test whether certain antibiotics will work against bacteria. This helps the doctors choose the best medicine to treat a patient's infection.

Overall, nitrocefin helps doctors figure out which bacteria are bad and how to treat them.