Lab method
Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion
Susceptibility testing concept
KIR-bee BOW-er
High-yield clue
Bigger or smaller zones are interpreted by standardized tables, not by eyeballing alone.
Overview
A disk diffusion susceptibility testing concept used to teach zones of inhibition and standardized interpretation vocabulary.
Classification
- Susceptibility concept
- Agar diffusion method
Lab & identification clues
- Antibiotic disks
- Zone of inhibition
- Standardized inoculum vocabulary
Associations
- Antimicrobial susceptibility
- Resistance vocabulary
- Class discussion of susceptibility categories
Commonly confused with
- MIC broth dilution
- E-test
Your notes
Original concept summary for coursework. Sources checked: OpenStax Microbiology 2e and NCBI Bookshelf Medical Microbiology; reviewed 2026-06. Describes vocabulary and interpretation concepts only; not a lab protocol and not for handling specimens or identifying patient isolates.