title: Investigation of colistin sensitivity via three different methods in Acinetobacter baumannii isolates with multiple antibiotic resistance.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In recent years there has been an increase in life-threatening infections caused by Acinetobacter baumannii with multiple antibiotic resistance, which has lead to the use of polymyxins, especially colistin, being reconsidered. The aim of this study was to investigate the colistin sensitivity of A. baumannii isolates with multiple antibiotic resistance via different methods, and to evaluate the disk diffusion method for colistin against multi-resistant Acinetobacter isolates, in comparison to the E-test and Phoenix system.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was carried out on 100 strains of A. baumannii (colonization or infection) isolated from the microbiological samples of different patients followed in the clinics and intensive care units of Uludağ University Medical School between the years 2004 and 2005. Strains were identified and characterized for their antibiotic sensitivity by Phoenix system (Becton Dickinson, Sparks, MD, USA).
  
  
  RESULTS
  In all studied A. baumannii strains, susceptibility to colistin was determined to be 100% with the disk diffusion, E-test, and broth microdilution methods. Results of the E-test and broth microdilution method, which are accepted as reference methods, were found to be 100% consistent with the results of the disk diffusion tests; no very major or major error was identified upon comparison of the tests. The sensitivity and the positive predictive value of the disk diffusion method were found to be 100%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Colistin resistance in A. baumannii was not detected in our region, and disk diffusion method results are in accordance with those of E-test and broth microdilution methods.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Uludağ University School of Medicine, Bursa, Turkey. meldasinirtas@email.com
authors.forename: Melda
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sinirtaş
authors.forename: Halis
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Akalin
authors.forename: Suna
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gedikoğlu
mesh_terms: D000151:Acinetobacter Infections / Q000382:microbiology; D040981:Acinetobacter baumannii / Q000187:drug effects*; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003091:Colistin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003470:Culture Media; D052978:Disk Diffusion Antimicrobial Tests; D024901:Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial; D006801:Humans; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests / Q000379:methods; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014421:Turkey
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D003470:Culture Media; D003091:Colistin