STUDY DESIGN: The MICs for 135 clinical isolates of N. gonorrhoeae were determined by a modified Kirby-Bauer method recommended by the National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards against penicillin, cefuroxime, ceftriaxone, norfloxacin, tetracycline, kanamycin, spectinomycin, and azithromycin. The MIC of azithromycin was determined by both the E-test and agar dilution method. All tests were done simultaneously.
RESULTS: The MIC of azithromycin to all 135 isolates ranged from 0.078 to 0.25 microgram/ml with the agar dilution method and from 0.016 to 0.50 microgram/ml with the E-test. The MIC50 and MIC90 of azithromycin were 0.064 microgram/ml and 0.125 microgram/ml, respectively, by the agar dilution method, whereas they are slightly higher by the E-test method. Seventy-six of the isolates were beta-lactamase producers and 69 were high-level tetracycline-resistant N. gonorrhoeae. There was no difference in the MIC50 and MIC90 of azithromycin in these groups of isolates. The percentage agreement within the acceptable +/-1 log2 dilution difference between MICs obtained by E-test and those obtained by the agar dilution method was 97.8%.
CONCLUSIONS: Azithromycin has a very good in vitro antigonococcal activity, and the E-test is a reliable method to determine the MIC of azithromycin against N. gonorrhoeae.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: The detection of inducible clindamycin resistance was performed by D-test using erythromycin and clindamycin discs as per CDC guidelines.
RESULTS: Among the 244 clinical isolates of staphylococci studied, 32 (13.1%) showed inducible clindamycin resistance and belonged to the MLSBi phenotype. Among the MLS B i phenotypes, 10 isolates were methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (38.4% of the total MRSA), 16 were methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (12.9% of the total MSSA) and 6 were coagulase-negative staphylococci (6.3% of the total CONS).
CONCLUSION: The test for inducible resistance to clindamycin should be included in the routine antibiotic susceptibility testing, as it will help in guiding therapy.
AIMS: Therefore, in this study, we evaluated the optimized culture medium for growth of this lipophilic yeast using modified leeming-Notman agar and colorimetric resazurin microtiter assay to assess antimycotic activity of fluconazole against M. furfur.
RESULTS: The result showed that these assays were more adjustable for M. furfur with reliable and reproducible MIC end-point, by confirming antimycotic activity of fluconazole with MIC of 2μg/ml.
CONCLUSION: We conclude that this method is considered as the rapid and effective susceptibility testing of M. furfur with fluconazole antifungal activity.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: An experimental GIC (ex-GIC) was prepared by mixing CHX-D powder with the powder of type II GIC to obtain 1% (w/w) concentration of CHX-D in the GIC. Antibacterial activity of this ex-GIC was tested against L. casei and A. viscosus using the agar diffusion method. The ex-GIC specimens were tested in their unset and set forms for each bacterium. For the unset group, specimens were placed in each agar plate immediately after manipulation and for the set group, specimens were placed in each agar plate, 1 hour after manipulation. The inhibition zones on the agar plate were recorded in millimeters immediately on placement of the specimen in the agar plate and after 48 hours. The reading was recorded and statistically analyzed for significant difference.
RESULTS: Mann-Whitney U test showed statistically significant difference in the inhibition zones produced by ex-GIC against L. casei and A. viscosus when both were compared in unset (p-value = 0.002) and set (p-value = 0.031) groups. For both the groups, the zone of inhibition against L. casei was greater. Though the unset group recorded wider zone of inhibition, the difference was not significant when compared with the respective set group. This was true for both the bacterial groups.
CONCLUSION: The 1% CHX-D-modified type II GIC showed antibacterial property against L. casei and A. viscosus and significantly higher activity against L. casei.
CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Addition of 1% CHX-D to type II GIC showed evidence of antibacterial activity against organisms found in deep carious lesion and therefore may exhibit superior antimicrobial efficiency when used as an intermediate therapeutic restoration in deep cavities.
Materials and Methods: Fresh aerial parts of four plant species (Artemisia herba alba, Cotula cinerea, Asphodelus tenuifolius, and Euphorbia guyoniana) were collected for the preparation of aqueous extracts. Two levels of dilution (10% and 20%) of the pure extracts were evaluated against Fusarium graminearum and Fusarium sporotrichioides.
Results: The results of this study revealed that the A. herba alba, C. cinerea, A. tenuifolius, and E. guyoniana aqueous extracts are effective at both concentrations of 10% and 20% for the Fusarium mycelia growth inhibition. In particular, A. tenuifolius extract is effective against F. graminearum, whereas F. sporotrichioides mycelium growth is strongly affected by the E. guyoniana 20% extract. The phytochemical characterization of the compositions of the aqueous extracts has revealed that the presence of some chemical compounds (tannins, flavonoids, saponins, steroids, and alkaloids) is likely to be responsible for the antifungal activities sought.
Conclusion: The antifungal properties of A. herba alba, C. cinerea, A. tenuifolius, and E. guyoniana make these plants of potential interest for the control of fungi affecting both wheat yield and safety.