[Interpretive reading of the antibiogram: Intellectual exercise or clinical need?]

Area of Science:

• Clinical microbiology
• Antimicrobial resistance
• Diagnostic interpretation

Context:

• Clinical microbiology laboratories routinely categorize antimicrobial susceptibility testing results.
• Antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) guides therapeutic decisions.
• Interpretive reading of antibiograms offers advanced insights beyond basic categorization.

Purpose:

• To highlight the clinical necessity and benefits of interpretive reading of antibiograms.
• To advocate for the integration of interpretive reading into routine laboratory practice.
• To underscore the role of AST in predicting treatment outcomes and guiding antimicrobial policies.

Summary:

• Interpretive reading of antibiograms allows for the recognition of resistance phenotypes and mechanisms, even at low expression levels.
• This approach aids in modifying clinical classifications inconsistent with observed resistance and inferring susceptibility for untested antimicrobials.
• It enhances laboratory quality control, facilitates the characterization of novel resistance mechanisms, and supports epidemiological surveillance of antimicrobial resistance.

Impact:

• Improves the adequacy of antimicrobial treatment by predicting therapeutic failure in patients with resistant infections.
• Contributes to effective antimicrobial stewardship by informing and defining institutional antimicrobial policies.
• Enhances the clinical value of AST results, enabling better patient management and public health surveillance.