Quality control limits for ampicillin, carbenicillin, mezlocillin, and piperacillin disk diffusion susceptibility tests: a collaborative study.

A multilaboratory in vitro study was carried out to determine disk diffusion susceptibility testing quality control limits for two new semisynthetic penicillins, mezlocillin and piperacillin. Existing limits for carbenicillin and ampicillin were reevaluated. Multiple tests (which followed standards set by the National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards ASM-2 revised) were performed in nine laboratories by different technologists using disks and Mueller-Hinton agar from different manufacturers. Clinically significant differences between disks produced by different manufacturers were not noted. Inhibitory zone diameter measurements from all laboratories were analyzed, and upper and lower control limits were established by using the overall median +/-0.5 the median range of the individual laboratory measurements as determining parameters. Close agreement of the data in this study with the results of national proficiency testing and quality control programs for ampicillin and carbenicillin supports the validity of our approach to making initial recommendations for quality control guidelines for new antimicrobial agents.