ELIMINATION OF QUINOLONE ANTIBIOTIC CARRYOVER THROUGH USE OF ANTIBIOTIC-REMOVAL BEADS

To prove the utility of antibiotic-removal beads in separating antibio tics from bacterial samples, Escherichia coli ATCC 25922 was exposed t o five separate quinolones before and after each was exposed to antibi otic-removal beads. Plates treated with antibiotic solutions that were exposed to beads demonstrated antibiotic removal, and plates treated with antibiotic solutions that were not exposed to beads demonstrated antibiotic carryover. After exposure to beads, fluoroquinolone concent rations decreased from 5 mug/ml to 0.14 mug/ml (ciprofloxacin), 0.04 m ug/ml (temafloxacin), <0.01 mug/ml (ofloxacin), <0.01 mug/ml (sparflox acin), and 0.02 mug/ml (clinafloxacin). These data indicate that antib iotic carryover can be successfully circumvented through the use of an tibiotic-removal beads.