Comparison of drug sensitivity testing with microdilution quantitative minimum inhibitory concentration and the Autobac I system.

Antibiotic susceptibility studies were compared by the quantitative minimum inhibitory concentration and Autobac I. Four hundred common isolates from clinical materials including both gram-negative and -positive organisms were evaluated. Results demonstrate that the Autobac I method can provide reliable semiquantitative estimation of bacterial susceptibility that correlates well with an acceptable standard procedure. The specific advantages of the Autobac I system in addition to the reliability demonstrated are speed, objectivity of interpretation, and ability to provide a printed result. These advantages can result in increased speed of reporting, which may reduce hospital stay and patient morbidity as well as providing needed information more rapidly in critically ill patients with bacterial infections.