Laboratory Test Reference Guide

The provision of clinical details and specimen site are essential for determining the significance of isolates and the need for susceptibility testing. Antibiotics are selected for susceptibility testing according to the site and the organism isolated. Susceptibility testing is performed on all non fastidious bacteria, yeasts from invasive sites, and Mycobacteria tuberculosis.

Results are reported as :

Sensitive : Infecting organism is inhibited by levels of antimicrobial agent attained in the blood or tissue on usual dosage, including oral administration where applicable.

Intermediate : This category includes strains whose MICs approach usually attainable blood and tissue levels and response rates may be lower than for susceptible isolates. The intermediate category implies clinical applicability in body sites where the drugs are physiologically concentrated or when high dosage of the drug can be used.

Resistant : Infecting organism is resistant to usually achievable systemic concentrations of the antimicrobial agent.