Antibiotic susceptibility testing of neisseria gonorrhoeae

Abstract

The minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of penicillin G, ampicillin, erythromycin, tetracycline and spectinomycin were determined for a number of clinical isolates of Neisserla gonorrhoeae, and the results compared with those obtained using a modified Bauer-Kirby disc diffusion technique. Close statistical correlation of penicillin G, ampicillin and tetracycline MICs and disc susceptibilities was demonstrated. Owing to the relatively wide scatter of points, however, regression lines constructed from these data did not enable reliable prediction of MIC from the diameter of antibiotic inhibition zones. Bauer-Kirby disc susceptibility testing is, therefore, unsuitable for the laboratory di..