La lectura interpretativa del antibiograma: Una herramienta para predecir la resistencia bacteriana en el laboratorio de microbiología de rutina

Abstract

The increasing emergence of multiple resistance mechanisms in medical importance bacteria it is a world-wide concern because the high mortality and morbidity caused by these infections and the high health care costs attributed. Impact of multiresistance spreading is underestimated and the detection and therapy in infections due to multiresistant isolates is difficult. In this particular problem, the control measures are the best choice, for this reason it is necessary to improve the available diagnosis tests for early detection of resistance mechanisms in order to focus the therapy. "Interpretative reading" can be used for this purpose. The aim of this review is to propose use of the "interpretative reading" as a guide tool in our country, to get important data about resistance mechanism operating in the most frequent bacteria, and how and why this practice can be use as a simple and accessible tool in the routine microbiology laboratory. Interpretative readings suggest some possible resistance mechanisms based in the susceptibility profiles in some bacteria studied and this analysis can make possible an effective and focused therapy and it can be useful as quality control for microbiological diagnosis and reporting. © 2002 Corporación Editora Médica del Valle.