BACKGROUND Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has been emerged as a nosocomial and community acquired pathogen worldwide. There are many challenges for laboratory detection of MRSA. The aim of this study was to compare different phenotypic methods with PCR based method as a gold standard for detection of mecA gene. METHODS A total of 220 clinical isolates of S. aureus which we...

With a microdilution method, using the commercial diagnostic test Sensititre Susceptibility Plates for Campylobacter MIC (Trek Diagnostic Systems, Cleveland, OH, USA), disk diffusion and agar dilution method, resistance to six antimicrobial agents were examined in a reference strain Campylobacter jejuni ATCC 33560 and 73 thermo-tolerant isolates of Campylobacter spp. For the microdilution metho...

Background: Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has been emerged as a nosocomial and community acquired pathogen worldwide. There are many challenges for laboratory detection of MRSA. The aim of this study was to compare different phenotypic methods with PCR based method as a gold standard for detection of mecA gene. <b...

Three extracts of Pulicaria dysenterica were examined for antibacterial activity using the agar disk-diffusion method against six bacterial strains. Some of these extracts were found to be active against some bacterial strains. The methanolic extract exhibited a superior level of antibacterial activity. All of the extracts were active against Vibrio chlorea.

A study of 283 isolates of gram-negative bacilli revealed a good correlation (r = -0.74) between disk diffusion zones of inhibition and agar dilution minimal inhibitory concentrations. Regression analysis suggested that strains with zone sizes =/<11 mm should be considered resistant, but 34 of 45 strains resistant by minimal inhibitory concentration (including 27 strains of Pseudomonas aerugino...

Since the early 1970s, the synergistic activity of an aminoglycoside with a cell wall-active agent has been predicted by determining the ability of an enterococcus to grow in the presence of high levels of the aminoglycoside (usually > or = 2,000 micrograms/ml). However, a variety of media and concentrations of aminoglycosides has been used for this screening procedure. In the present study, we...

A regression line for correlating zones of inhibition of a 75-mug mezlocillin disk with minimal inhibitory concentrations of mezlocillin for Enterobacteriaceae and nonfermenters was calculated. Correlation was excellent (r = -0.96) for all species tested except Pseudomonas cepacia.

The minimal inhibitory concentration of netilmicin determined by the agar dilution method was correlated with the disk diffusion zone of inhibition against 322 clinical isolates. Regression line analysis revealed good correlation, r = -0.90, and suggested that isolates with zone sizes </=14 mm should be considered resistant.

A total of 74 clinical isolates of Branhamella catarrhalis were characterized with respect to their ampicillin, amoxicillin-clavulanate, cephalothin, cefaclor, erythromycin, tetracycline, chloramphenicol, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole MICs and zones of inhibition. Disk diffusion tests were performed according to the guidelines of the National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards with...