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Review
. 2014 Dec;52(12):4124-8.
doi: 10.1128/JCM.01121-14. Epub 2014 Jun 11.

When does 2 plus 2 equal 5? A review of antimicrobial synergy testing

Christopher D Doern  1
Affiliations
Review

When does 2 plus 2 equal 5? A review of antimicrobial synergy testing

Christopher D Doern. J Clin Microbiol. 2014 Dec.

Abstract

In this age of emerging antibiotic resistance, limited therapeutic options exist for treating multidrug-resistant organisms. Combination therapy is commonly employed to manage these infections despite little laboratory guidance as to the efficacy of this approach. Synergy testing methods have been used to assess the interaction of antibiotic combinations in vitro. This review will discuss the four primary methods used to assess synergy, as well as the data that exist for testing of cystic fibrosis. In the final analysis, this review concludes that there is not enough evidence to endorse synergy testing for routine clinical use.

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Figures

FIG 1
FIG 1
Depiction of fractional inhibitory concentration (FIC) calculation.
None
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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