Novel, rapid test system to determine mycobacterial antibiotic susceptibility.

Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1993. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

Novel, rapid test system to determine mycobacterial antibiotic susceptibility.

Abstr Gen Meet Am Soc Microbiol. 1993;93:175 (abstract no. U-36). Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE ASM93/93291796
Toneguzzo F; Stottmeier K; Brecher S; One Cell Systems, Inc., Cambridge, MA.

Abstract: Infection of HIV positive individuals with strains of multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDRTB) has emerged as a serious and potentially explosive public health problem. These mycobacterial strains, which are essentially untreatable, pose a major threat to HIV infected individuals, health care workers, and ultimately the general public. The control of MDRTB is severely hampered by the long time required for definitive determinations of anti microbial susceptibility; current methods require at best several weeks due to the slow growth of the organism. We have demonstrated the feasibility of a novel approach for anti microbial susceptibility testing using gel microdrop technology and a model mycobacterium, BCG. Individual organisms and sub-microscopic microcolonies were encapsulated into agarose gel microdrops (GMDs) with an average diameter of 50 mu. Encapsulation conditions were adjusted so that GMDs contained 1 or less organisms per drop. Encapsulated BCG were incubated in Middlebrook 7H10 medium in the absence and in the presence of antibiotics. Aliquots were removed at different times, fixed, and stained with propidium iodide. Visualization of micro-colonies by fluorescent microscopy showed that growth of BCG could be definitively demonstrated after 5 days of incubation. More importantly, lack of growth due to antibiotic susceptibility was also apparent in the same length of time. The technology utilizes conventional methods at a microscale thus reducing development time and providing the physician with susceptibility data directly corresponding to present tests. In combination with flow cytometric analysis, GMD technology provides an automated, rapid system for mycobacterial antibiotic susceptibility testing.

Keywords: Antitubercular Agents/*PHARMACOLOGY AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections/MICROBIOLOGY Drug Resistance, Microbial Feasibility Studies Human Microbial Sensitivity Tests/*METHODS Microscopy, Fluorescence Mycobacterium bovis/DRUG EFFECTS/*GROWTH & DEVELOPMENT Tuberculosis, Pulmonary/MICROBIOLOGY ABSTRACT
930930
M9391175

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