MICFLOW: A CAPILLARY-DRIVEN MICROFLUIDIC DEVICE FOR RAPID AND ACCURATE DETERMINATION OF MINIMUM INHIBITORY CONCENTRATIONS OF ANTIMICROBIAL SUBSTANCES

Introduction.The Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) is parameter used to define the level of susceptibility of a specific bacterial strain to a given antibiotic, in vitro [1].MIC testing helps identify the lowest concentration of an antibiotic that inhibits the visible growth of a bacterium, thus informing treatment decisions [2].Failure to correctly determine the MIC is a major contributor to development of antibiotic resistance since too small a dose can lead to survival of a resistant bacterial population or trigger the mechanisms that lead to antibiotic resistance [3].Traditional methods for determination of the MIC, while effective, are usually labor-intensive and time-consuming.They consist of three different steps: first, the wells are loaded with various concentrations of antibiotics, then, a specific volume of patient sample is added to each well and finally, the results are read after hours of incubation.