The reference method for antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) is broth microdilution (BMD). Increasing numbers of commercial AST systems, both BMD and others, are available on the market. The EUCAST Development Laboratory (EDL) does not have the capacity to systematically check the quality of these systems.
EUCAST was recently alerted to a potential problem for meropenem in E. coli and K. pneumoniae on the Sensititre panel DKMGN (batches B8012, B8201A and B8314A) manufactured by Thermo Fisher Scientific. This was confirmed by the EUCAST Development Laboratory and recently also by the company and has now led to a company issued Technical Bulletin addressing the problem. The importance of an adequate inoculum is emphasized.