Lack of reproducibility of macrodilution MBCs for Staphylococcus aureus

MBCs of methicillin, oxacillin, penicillin G, cephalothin, vancomycin, and gentamicin were determined by a standard broth macrodilution technique for 101 clinical isolates of methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus. Increased killing (more than 99.9%) was observed after 48 versus 24 h of incubation for many strains, and cross tolerance to antimicrobial bactericidal activity (less than 99.9% killing) was frequently observed among antimicrobial agents. However, these in vitro measurements of bactericidal activity against S. aureus were not reproducible.