DETECTING ANTIMICROBIAL COMPOUND PRESENCE IN A SAMPLE BY GROWING A MICROORGANISM SUSCEPTIBLE TO THE COMPOUND IN MEDIA CONTAINING THE SAMPLE AND USING AN ELECTRICAL PARAMETER OF THE CULTURE TO INDICATE GROWTH

摘要

A method for determining the possible presence of an antimicrobial compound in a sample. The method includes the steps of: (i) adding the sample to a culture medium; (ii) growing a microorganism in the culture medium, the growth of the microorganism being susceptible to inhibition by the compound; (iii) measuring an electrical parameter of the culture medium over a period of time; (iv) determining a first time point at which an accelerating change of the electrical parameter occurs, the change resulting from the growth of the microorganism; and (v) comparing the first time point with a plurality of time points to determine the possible presence of the compound. Each of the plurality of time points is determined in a manner identical to that in which the first time point is determined except that the compound is present in the culture medium at a known concentration, and, further, a relationship exists between the plurality of time points and their corresponding concentrations. Also disclosed is a method for testing the resistance of a microorganism to an antimicrobial compound.