title: In vitro testing of antimicrobial agents.
abstract: Antimicrobial susceptibility tests provide information that may be helpful in the initial selection of antimicrobials to be used in therapy, may prompt a change in an existing regimen to one including a more active antimicrobial agent, or may allow substitution of one antimicrobial agent with another equally effective but less expensive antimicrobial agent. The clinical value of bactericidal testing is less clear-cut due, at least in part, to methodologic variations and biological and technical variables. Standardization of methods provides both intralaboratory and interlaboratory reproducibility, as well as interpretability of results.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Ohio.
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Washington
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000935:Antifungal Agents