Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing Standards (Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute)

Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing Standards, set by the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI), provide guidelines for how laboratories determine if bacteria are sensitive or resistant to antibiotics. This process helps clinicians choose effective treatments by testing bacteria from patients against various antibiotics under standardized conditions. The standards define methods, interpretation criteria, and breakpoints (thresholds) to ensure consistent and reliable results across labs, ultimately guiding appropriate antibiotic use and helping combat antibiotic resistance.