Simplified plate diffusion system for microbial assays of antibiotics.

A protocol for microbial assays of antibiotics, using the plate diffusion system, is presented. The system is based on the concept that a complete standard curve and assay unknowns can be placed on an assay plate and that 2 plates can be a complete assay with an accuracy and precision essentially equivalent to the official AOAC diffusion procedure. Four antibiotics, bacitracin, chlortetracycline, oxytetracycline, and streptomycin, were used in the design and comparison studies with the AOAC protocol. The coefficients of variation (CVs) for the AOAC design, using 10 replicates, ranged from 1.4 to 10.3% with a mean of 4.5%. The CVs for the single-plate option of the simplified design ranged from 4.3 to 9.6% with a mean of 6.6%; the CVs for the 2-plate option ranged from 2.5 to 6.8% with a mean of 4.3%; the CVs for the 3-plate option ranged from 1.2 to 5.0% with a mean of 3.0%.