The Clavulanic Acid – 15 μg Antibiotic Disc – Bioanalyse is a paper disc impregnated with 15 micrograms of clavulanic acid, a β-lactamase inhibitor. It is used in the disc diffusion method of antimicrobial susceptibility testing to determine the susceptibility of bacteria to β-lactam antibiotics, such as penicillins and cephalosporins.

Clavulanic acid is not an antibiotic itself, but it works by inactivating β-lactamase enzymes, which are produced by some bacteria to break down β-lactam antibiotics. This makes β-lactam antibiotics more effective against bacteria that produce β-lactamase enzymes.

The Clavulanic Acid – 15 μg Antibiotic Disc – Bioanalyse is often used in combination with other antibiotic discs, such as amoxicillin and cephalosporins, to test for the susceptibility of bacteria to these antibiotics.

How to use the Clavulanic Acid – 15 μg Antibiotic Disc – Bioanalyse:

1. Prepare a bacterial suspension by inoculating a loopful of bacteria into a tube of broth.
2. Incubate the broth tube at 37 degrees Celsius for 2-4 hours, or until the bacteria are in the logarithmic phase of growth.
3. Dilute the bacterial suspension to a turbidity of 0.5 McFarland standard.
4. Spread the bacterial suspension on the surface of an agar plate.
5. Place the Clavulanic Acid – 15 μg Antibiotic Disc and other antibiotic discs on the surface of the agar plate.
6. Incubate the plate at 37 degrees Celsius for 16-24 hours.
7. Measure the diameter of the zones of inhibition around the discs.
8. Interpret the results using the clinical breakpoints for the antibiotic discs that are being used.

Interpretation of results:

A larger zone of inhibition around the clavulanic acid disc in combination with another antibiotic disc than around the other antibiotic disc alone indicates that the bacteria are producing β-lactamase enzymes and that the β-lactam antibiotic is more effective against the bacteria in the presence of clavulanic acid.

Limitations of the Clavulanic Acid – 15 μg Antibiotic Disc – Bioanalyse:

The disc diffusion method is only a semi-quantitative method for testing the susceptibility of bacteria to antibiotics. For more accurate results, other methods such as broth microdilution or agar dilution should be used.

The Clavulanic Acid – 15 μg Antibiotic Disc – Bioanalyse is not able to detect all bacteria that are resistant to β-lactam antibiotics. For example, some strains of Enterobacteriaceae are resistant to β-lactam antibiotics even in the presence of clavulanic acid.

The disc diffusion method can be affected by the type of agar plate used, the incubation temperature, and the inoculum density. Therefore, it is important to follow standardized procedures when performing the disc diffusion test.

Additional information about clavulanic acid:

Clavulanic acid is generally well-tolerated, but it can cause side effects such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and rash. In rare cases, clavulanic acid can cause serious side effects such as seizures and anaphylaxis.

Clavulanic acid is a valuable antibiotic that can be used to treat a wide range of bacterial infections, especially those caused by bacteria that produce β-lactamase enzymes. However, it is important to be aware of the potential side effects of clavulanic acid before using it.

Buy Best Biochemistry Analyzer From Medistore