Locally prepared antibiotic sensitivity discs: a substitute for imported commercial discs

Abstract

Antibiotic sensitivity discs were prepared from tablets of erythromycin, chloramphenicol, ampicillin, clindamycin gentamicin and kanamycin. Susceptibility of some clinical isolates which included Escherichia coli,Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella Group D , Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Group A Streptococcus and type culture of Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27953 was investigated. Zones of inhibition were compared with those obtained from commercial antibiotic discs. Results obtained showed that discs prepared locally from antibiotic tablets, performed comparably with commercially obtained discs. There was no significant statistical difference between the two tested discs. We therefore recommend that antibiotic sensitivity discs can be prepared locally from antibiotic tablets and be used forroutine laboratory susceptibility testing, hence saving scarce foreign exchange required for importation of commercial discs.Key words: Locally prepared, Antibiotic, Substitute, Commercial disc(Global Journal of Pure and Applied Sciences: 2003 9 (4): 453-456)