What is a common limitation of automated systems compared with traditional methods?

• A. Not all MICs can be tested for all antibiotics or pathogens
• B. They always test every antibiotic for every pathogen
• C. They never require quality control
• D. They instantly provide final therapy recommendations

Answer: (A)

Automated susceptibility testing platforms run on predefined panels of antibiotics and validated organism groups. This makes results fast and consistent, but it also means you can’t test every possible antibiotic against every pathogen. If a needed drug isn’t included in the panel or if an organism isn’t validated for a particular drug, additional testing outside the automation is required. It’s a common limitation compared with traditional methods, where a technician could tailor tests more flexibly to the organism and clinical question.

Quality control is still essential with automated systems to ensure accuracy, so the idea that QC is never required isn’t correct. And while these systems provide MICs and susceptibility calls, they don’t automatically produce final therapy recommendations—the clinician must interpret the results and decide on treatment in the patient’s context.