Question

1. You are interested in testing the effects of levofloxacin on Burkholderia cepacia. Based on what you have learned using Labster, design a simple experiment by which you could test the effectiveness of this antibiotic on killing this bacterium.

Answer 1

A simple test to check the effects of levofloxacin on Burkholderia cepacia would be to perform a modified kirby bauer test , this is to check the Burkholderia cepacia susceptibility to the antibiotic levofloxacin. Serial dilutions of the antibiotic levofloxacin in micrograms, say ranging from 10 to 75 microgram per ml is to be made. 38g of the Mueller Hinton medium is weighed into 1L of water, autoclave and poured into Petri dishes and left to set.

A known conectration of Burkholderia cepacia cells are plated over by pour plating method or by lawn culturing. Next the discs are to be impregnated with the different conc of levofloxacin respectively and let to dry. Next place these discs on the prepared plate as earlier mentioned. Keep one prepared plate without discs as control. Incubate the plates overnight at 370C. The following day measure the zones of inhibition around each disc. The control plate would have a lawn of growth. And the zones around each disc in the test plate reflects thhe susceptibility or resistance rage of Burkholderia cepacia towards levofloxacin. The bigger the zone the more it is susceptible, the lesser or absence of zones indicate resistance towards levofloxacin.