MAST CEFTAZIDIME 30ug Cartridge discs

Product Introduction

MASTDISCS® are precision-manufactured antimicrobial susceptibility test discs supplied in glass vials or plastic dispensing cartridges. They provide a convenient, standardised means to perform disc-diffusion susceptibility testing across a wide range of antimicrobials for routine clinical and research microbiology laboratories.

Intended use

An extensive range of individual antimicrobial susceptibility test discs in glass vials and plastic dispensing cartridges.

FOR IN VITRO DIAGNOSTIC USE ONLY

Contents

100 discs in a vial or a pack of 5 cartridges, each cartridge containing 50 discs.

Formulation

6 mm diameter filter paper discs printed with an appropriate identification code of letters and/or numbers and impregnated with accurately assayed quantities of antimicrobial agent.

Storage and shelf life

• Store as indicated on the label in the containers provided until the expiry date shown on the pack label.
• Allow to equilibrate to room temperature before opening.
• Return to the refrigerator promptly after use.

Precautions

• For in vitro diagnostic use only.
• Observe approved biohazard precautions and aseptic techniques.
• To be used only by adequately trained and qualified laboratory personnel.
• Sterilise all biohazard waste before disposal.
• Refer to the Product Safety Data sheet.

Materials required but not provided

Standard microbiological supplies and equipment such as loops, MAST® culture media, swabs, applicator sticks, incinerators and incubators, etc., as well as serological and biochemical reagents and additives such as blood. Suitable interpretive criteria from standardised reference methods. MAST® DiscMaster Dispenser.

Procedure

1. Remove the MASTDISCS® container from storage and allow to equilibrate to room temperature before opening.
2. Using a sterile needle or forceps, transfer each disc required onto the surface of a suitably prepared plate of MAST® susceptibility test medium (e.g., Mueller‑Hinton Agar DM170D) dried and pre-inoculated with the test organism according to the standardised methodology in use.
3. If using MASTDISCS® in cartridges, load each cartridge required into a MAST® DISCMASTER Dispenser.
4. Place the loaded MAST® DISCMASTER Dispenser over the Petri dish and dispense discs (refer to DiscMaster instructions for full details).
5. Incubate plates in air at 35–37°C for 18–24 hours (or alternative incubation conditions according to the methodology followed).
6. Measure (to the nearest whole mm) and record the diameter of any zones of inhibition observed around the antibiotic‑impregnated discs.

Interpretation of results

Interpret measured zones of inhibition by reference to published tables of critical zone‑diameter breakpoints provided by appropriate authorities and classify the test isolate as Susceptible (S), Intermediate (I) or Resistant (R).

Quality control

• Check for signs of deterioration before use.
• Quality control must be performed with at least one control organism to demonstrate a correct susceptibility pattern.
• Do not use the product if reactions with the control organisms are incorrect.
• Use appropriate quality control tables for the specific discs and concentrations.

Suggested control strains and expected outcomes when tested according to standardised methods: