CLSI M44 P : 1ED 2003

Abstract
Committee Membership
Foreword
1 Scope
2 Introduction
3 Standard Precautions
4 Definitions
5 Selection of Antimicrobial Agent Disks for Routine
   Testing and Reporting
   5.1 Use of Nonproprietary or Generic Names
   5.2 Number of Agents Tested
   5.3 Suggested Guidelines for Selective Reporting
6 Equipment/Materials
7 Reagents for the Disk Diffusion Test
   7.1 Mueller-Hinton Agar + 2% Glucose and 0.5
       Miligram/mL Methylene Blue Dye (GMB) Medium
   7.2 Turbidity Standard for Inoculum Preparation
8 Procedure for Performing the Disk Diffusion Test
   8.1 Inoculum Preparation: Direct Colony Suspension
       Method
   8.2 Inoculation of Tests Plates
   8.3 Application of Disks to inoculated Agar Plates
   8.4 Reading Plates and Interpreting Results
9 Interpretation of Disk Diffusion Test Results
   9.1 Zone Diameter Interpretive Standards
   9.2 Interpretive Categories
   9.3 Equivalent MIC Breakpoints
10 Quality Control Procedures
   10.1 Purpose
   10.2 Reference Strains for Quality Control
   10.3 Storing Quality Control Strains
   10.4 Zone Diameter Quality Control Limits
   10.5 Frequency of Quality Control Testing
   10.6 Corrective Action
   10.7 Reporting Patient Results When Out-of-Control
        Tests Occur
11 Limitations of Disk Diffusion Methods
   11.1 Application to Various Organism Groups
   11.2 Verification of Patient Results
References
Table 1 Zone Diameter Interpretive Standards and
        Equivalent Minimal Inhibitory Concentrations (MIC)
        Breakpoints for Candida species
Table 2 Recommended Quality Control Zone Diameter (mm)
        Ranges
Appendix A Preparation of Mueller-Hinton Agar + 2%
           Glucose and 0.5 Microgram/mL Methylene
           Blue Dye
Appendix B McFarland 0.5 Barium Sulfate Turbidity
           Standard
Appendix C Quality Control protocol Flow Charts
The Quality System Approach
Related NCCLS Publications