Cut-off Values and Species-Specific Breakpoints [Hot Topic]

Susceptibility testing is a tried and true method for identifying effective drugs for treatment of infections. With an increase in the number of invasive fungal infections, growth in the number of treatment options, and recognition of antifungal resistance, the need for susceptibility testing in fungal infections has grown. While minimum inhibitory concentrations can help guide treatment selection, an understanding of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics is also necessary. The development of epidemiological cutoff values (ECVs) is a new tool to assist clinicians in selecting the correct treatment. A presentation by Nancy Wengenack, PhD