title: Role of the reference laboratory in susceptibility testing of anaerobes and a survey of isolates referred from laboratories in England and Wales during 1993-1994.
abstract: Methods for susceptibility testing of anaerobes and their patterns of susceptibility remain debatable. The responsibilities of the Public Health Laboratory Service Anaerobe Reference Unit include identification of referred isolates; development of methods; monitoring of the occurrence of anaerobic infections; performance of taxonomic studies; maintenance of a reference collection; and monitoring of the antibiotic susceptibility of clinical isolates. Selection of antibiotics for anaerobic infections is often based upon the findings of batch tests on referred isolates in specialized centers. If the information gathered is to be a reliable guide, there should be a structured rolling survey of clinical isolates from a wide range of hospital laboratories. Strains of Bacteroides, Prevotella, Clostridium, and Propionibacterium species and peptostreptococci referred to the Anaerobe Reference Unit during 1993-1994 were tested with the Etest to determine the minimum inhibitory concentrations of metronidazole, penicillin, amoxicillin/clavulanate, cefoxitin, imipenem, erythromycin, clindamycin, and tetracycline. Metronidazole susceptibility (generally) and penicillin resistance among Bacteroides species were consistent findings, and most isolates were susceptible to imipenem, but other results varied between and within species.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Wales College of Medicine, Heath Park, Cardiff, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: B I
authors.initials: BI
authors.lastname: Duerden
mesh_terms: D001421:Bacteria, Anaerobic / Q000187:drug effects*; D001438:Bacteroidaceae / Q000187:drug effects; D003013:Clostridium / Q000187:drug effects; D004739:England; D006801:Humans; D007753:Laboratories / Q000592:standards; D008795:Metronidazole / Q000494:pharmacology; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests / Q000592:standards*; D010462:Peptostreptococcus / Q000187:drug effects; D011424:Propionibacterium / Q000187:drug effects; D012015:Reference Standards; D014852:Wales
chemical_list: D008795:Metronidazole