MicroVision

Antibiotic Sensitivity - The Kirby-Bauer Disk Diffusion Test The Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion test is a standardized protocol for determining antibiotic susceptibility. A pure culture of the test organism is inoculated on Mueller-Hinton agar. Paper disks impregnated with a standardized concentration of individual antibiotics are added to the plate which is then incubated at 35 degrees Celsius. Results are read and interpreted at 18 hours of incubation. If the growth of a test organism is inhibited by the antibiotic on a disc, a zone of inhibition will appear. The zone of inhibition is a circular area surrounding an antibiotic disk in which the test organism does not grow. The diameter of the zone of inhibition is calibrated in millimeters and compared with the Interpretive Zone Standards published by the National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards. Results are reported as S (sensitive), I (intermediate), or R (resistant). Results are affected by factors such as the antibiotic concentration, rate of diffusion of the antibiotic, pH and depth of the culture medium, inoculum density, incubation time and temperature. Thus it is essential that the Kirby-Bauer test is performed under standardized conditions: on MuellerHinton agar of pH 7.2 to 7.4, 4 mm. deep, inoculated with a pure culture of microbes matching the McFarland 0.5 standard for turbidity. Under these conditions, the results provide a guide for the potential effectiveness of a particular antibiotic. The plates shown here have been produced following the standardized procedure. Click on each image to see an enlarged version, pertinent Interpretive Zone standards, and interpretation of results.

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1998