Comparative evaluation of the micro-media system, sceptor, and MIC-2000 microdilution methods for testing Pseudomonas aeruginosa against gentamicin, tobramycin, and amikacin.

Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) for selected strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa versus gentamicin, tobramycin, and amikacin were replicated in parallel with MMS (Micro-Media Systems, Potomac, Md). Sceptor (BBL Microbiology Systems, Cockeysville, Md), and matching MIC-2000 (Dynatech Laboratories, Inc., Alexandria, Va.) twofold dilution panels and with MIC-2000 panels with dilutions differing by small arithmetic increments. The three microdilution systems produced comparable modal MICs. However, dispersion about modal values was greater for MMS than for either Sceptor or comparable MIC-2000 twofold panels. MICs were best define by MIC-2000 panels with dilutions differing by small arithmetic increments, for which 72.9% of MICs were modal, 95.4% were one small increment step or less from the modal value, and 100% were two small-increment steps or less form the modal value. The similarity of MIC replication for Sceptor and MIC-2000 twofold panels suggests the possibility of using small increment dilutions by Sceptor.