Antibiotics in Laboratory Medicine

TLDR

This book compiles current knowledge on in vitro antibiotic evaluation, serving as a comprehensive resource for microbiology labs and clinicians. The book is organized into 26 chapters by 40 authors, covering susceptibility testing methods and specialized antibiotic testing topics, with detailed step‑by‑step protocols and extensive references. The content is detailed enough to serve as a practical laboratory manual.

Abstract

This text could appropriately be titled "Everything you ever wanted to know about antibiotic testing." It is a compendium of current knowledge on the in vitro evaluation of antibiotics, an invaluable resource for microbiology and specialty laboratory personnel, as well as physicians involved in anti-infective therapy. There are 26 chapters by 40 authors and over 5600 references. The format is similar to the previous editions, with new chapters on beta-lactam antibiotics and quinolones. Each chapter is clearly organized, easy to read, and filled with exquisite photographs and tables. The first nine chapters deal with susceptibility testing of antibiotics and of antituberculous, antifungal, and antiparasitic drugs. Each has a general discussion followed by a step-by-step description of the methodology (disk diffusion, agar media, liquid media, automation). They are so detailed, they could be used as a laboratory manual. Five chapters follow on specialized features of antibiotic testing, including protein binding and