[Automation of antibiograms. Effect on the response delay of bacteriologic tests]

The delay between in-coming requests and results of bacteriological examinations was measured in a hospital laboratory before and after automation with an Abbott MS-2 system. Paradoxically, using this apparatus, which performs certain tasks within 6 hours instead of 12, increased the delay, mainly because of the multiple problems associated with automation. On the other hand, the delay was significantly reduced when a rapid micro-organism identification method (Micro ID) was used concomitantly. It is concluded that maximum efficiency could be achieved if bacteriological laboratories combined automated antibiotic susceptibility testing with a rapid germ identification method.