Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing is proving to be Major Breakthrough in Detecting Drug-related Infections

 

Antimicrobial susceptibility testing or antimicrobial sensitivity testing is the investigation of the susceptibility of different species of bacteria to specific antibiotics. Generally, it is utilized as bacteria can have various resistance to particular antibiotics. This test can be performed on clinical and non-clinical resources. However, most commonly it is performed on non-infected human subjects. The common applications of this test are for the purpose of laboratory safety, for clinical diagnosis of diseases, for monitoring drug effectiveness and for pre-screening of potential disease patients. 

Antimicrobial susceptibility testing can be conducted on a variety of surfaces in clinical laboratories. These include human blood, human urine, intestinal secretions, oral cavity, dermal compartments, body surface areas, sputum, and skin.Some of the common surfaces to be tested are osmotic pressure, permeability, and contact. The clinical importance of antimicrobial susceptibility testing has been recognized primarily by the increased use of such tests in healthcare settings where several clinical infections have occurred and where the risk for infections is always present. Before the introduction of Mange testing for detecting Salmonella, people in rural areas were often infected with it through the consumption of contaminated food and water. For this reason, laboratory tests for identifying Salmonella were established. These were initially done using cultures of Salmonella positive individuals. These initial tests generated results that were compatible with those of a new strain of Salmonella.

Moreover, other antibacterial surfaces and fluids are required to identify possible contamination sources. Therefore, a wide range of antimicrobial susceptibility testing methods are available. These methods are based on several basic biological principles. They include colony preparation, sensitivity, transfer, and vulnerability, restriction of cell entry, and presence of antigens. The first step of any assay is the collection of a sample from a potential contaminant source. To achieve this, a healthcare provider should perform a series of steps during the preparation of a standard sample. These steps include the collection of a fluid sample, skin contamination (usually with a known contaminant), and the application of a known contaminant. After the samples are collected, they should then be analyzed according to the guidelines set forth in Clinical microbiology laboratory testing.

Once the sample is ready, it is subjected to MGA platelet and rheumatic fever techniques. To detect anaerobic or uncharacteristic bacteria, staining procedures may also be done. The most commonly used methods for staining are stain-coated MHA plates, which are made of a material that allows for complete color separation between the bacteria and a stain; magnetic-scratch plates, which use a strong magnetic field to damage and detach microorganisms from samples without affecting the others; and electrophoresis. Electrophoresis is a method where a specific liquid, usually water, is applied to a sample and then the sample is incubated overnight. Other types of MHA platelet and rheumatic fever susceptibility tests rely on other types of media, such as bead-based and non-beaded disks. However, disk diffusion has proven to be the most effective when it comes to identifying pathogenic bacteria. It also speeds up the incubation time and allows for greater control over infectious areas. In the clinical setting, it can be especially important to have continuous monitoring of all clinically contaminated areas. Since these important benefits, antimicrobial susceptibility testing through the use of disk diffusion is very popular.