Automation of antimicrobial susceptibility testing

Area of Science:

• Clinical Microbiology
• Infectious Diseases
• Medical Technology

Background:

• Current laboratory services often delay critical antimicrobial susceptibility testing results, impacting timely clinical decisions for bacterial infections.
• Traditional methods like Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion provide limited interpretive data (sensitive, intermediate, resistant).

Purpose of the Study:

• To review advancements in automated optical systems for antimicrobial susceptibility testing.
• To highlight the benefits of Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) reporting over categorical interpretations.
• To discuss the role of computerization in interpreting susceptibility data for clinical application.

Main Methods:

• Discussion of emerging automated optical systems for bacterial growth measurement and susceptibility testing.
• Analysis of the advantages of Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) as a quantitative measure.
• Review of computerization in antimicrobial susceptibility testing instrumentation.

Main Results:

• New automated optical systems show promise in significantly reducing turnaround time for susceptibility results.
• These systems offer improved precision and standardization compared to conventional methods.
• Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) provides more detailed information than sensitive, intermediate, or resistant categories.

Conclusions:

• Automated optical systems and computerization are poised to revolutionize antimicrobial susceptibility testing.
• Adoption of MIC reporting, facilitated by new technologies, can enhance the selection of appropriate antimicrobial drugs.
• Future developments may include non-optical methods for bacterial growth measurement.