Antibiotic susceptibility testing by flow cytometry

Flow cytometry can provide a rapid indication of antibiotic susceptibility. This unit describes a number of fluorescent dyes that allow the cytometer to distinguish the heterogeneic nature of populations exposed to antibiotics. No single method can be used for multiple organisms, since it is the interference with the organisms growth and structural integrity that signals the impact of the antibiotic so rapidly. This unit discusses membrane structural changes as well as alterations in nucleic acid and the probes that can be successfully used with flow cytometry.