[A study on the disc sensitivity test for amikacin (author's transl)]

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing

Context:

• Accurate determination of bacterial susceptibility to antibiotics is crucial for effective treatment.
• The 2-fold agar dilution method is a standard but time-consuming technique.
• Rapid and reliable methods for antibiotic susceptibility testing are needed.

Purpose:

• To evaluate the correlation between the single-disc assay and the 2-fold agar dilution method for determining amikacin susceptibility.
• To confirm the applicability of the single-disc assay for amikacin across different incubation periods (conventional, delayed, and rapid).

Summary:

• 153 bacterial strains from 27 species were tested for amikacin susceptibility using both agar dilution and single-disc methods.
• Significant correlations were observed between Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) from dilution and inhibition zone diameter from disc assays.
• Regression equations were established for various incubation times, demonstrating the disc assay's utility.

Impact:

• The single-disc assay is a validated, potentially faster alternative for assessing bacterial amikacin susceptibility.
• This facilitates quicker clinical decisions in antimicrobial therapy.
• Reduces laboratory workload and turnaround time for susceptibility results.