MICs of amikacin, cefoxitin, ciprofloxacin, clarithromycin, doxycycline, and imipenem were determined by Etest for 100 clinical strains of rapidly growing mycobacteria and compared with MICs determined by a reference agar dilution method. Etest MICs were also determined by an alternative inoculum application (agar overlay) method and compared with MICs determined by the inoculum application met...

Seventy-four isolates of multiresistant Escherichia coli and Klebsiella spp. recovered during a 3-year period and 17 control strains with genotypically identified beta-lactamases were tested for the production of extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBLs) by using the Etest and the VITEK 1, VITEK 2, and Phoenix automated instruments. The use of the Etest was evaluated by investigating its accura...

Resistance to contemporary broad-spectrum beta-lactams, mediated by extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) enzymes, is an increasing problem worldwide. The Etest (AB Biodisk, Solna, Sweden) ESBL screen uses stable gradient technology to evaluate the MIC of ceftazidime alone compared with the MIC of ceftazidime with clavulanic acid (2 micrograms/ml) to facilitate the recognition of strains expr...

The utility of Etest for antimicrobial susceptibility testing of Yersinia pestis was evaluated in comparison with broth microdilution and disk diffusion for eight agents. Four laboratories tested 26 diverse strains and found Etest to be reliable for testing antimicrobial agents used to treat Y. pestis, except for chloramphenicol and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. Disk diffusion testing is not r...

Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of daptomycin, linezolid, and vancomycin against 212 isolates of Listeria monocytogenes, Pediococcus, Leuconostoc, Rhodococcus and Nocardia species were determined by the broth microdilution method and the Etest (daptomycin only). Except for Leuconostoc species, daptomycin Etest MICs showed >90% agreement with MICs by the broth microdilution method.

The effect of hypoxic conditions on the in vitro efficacy of amphotericin B and posaconazole against Mucorales was evaluated by defining MICs with Etest and broth microdilution and identifying minimal fungicidal concentrations (MFCs). With Etest, oxygen-dependent changes were detected, while the MIC and the MFC determined with broth microdilution remained unaltered with reduced oxygen levels. T...

Early availability of antifungal susceptibilities can ensure timely institution of targeted therapy in candidemia, which can improve patient outcomes. This study prospectively determines the agreement between the results of direct testing of antifungal susceptibilities from blood culture bottles by disk diffusion and Etest and the results of standardized susceptibility testing methods; direct t...

Both intrinsic and acquired resistance to amphotericin B have been documented for Candida lusitaniae. Amphotericin B remains the drug of choice for many critical fungal infections, and the detection of resistance is essential to monitor treatment effectively. The limitations of the National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards (NCCLS) reference methodology for detection of amphotericin B...

Background & Aims: One of the main causes of nosocomial infection is pseudomonas aeruginosa and carbapenems is one of the most important classes of antibiotics used in the treatment of infections caused by this bacteria. Metallo-beta-lactamase (MBL) production is one of the most important mechanisms of resistance to carbapenems and their increased prevalence is a serious threat to treatment of ...