Minimal inhibitory concentration

Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) ( English MIC for Minimal Inhibitory Concentration ) is a term used in biology . It describes the lowest concentration of a substance at which the multiplication of microorganisms cannot be seen with the naked eye.

The MIC is determined using a so-called titer method .

As a rule, the concentration of an antibiotic is determined that just barely inhibits the growth of a bacterial strain . The MIC is given in micrograms per milliliter (µg / ml) (usually in log2 steps), the seeding density of the bacteria checked for quality control is given in colony-forming units per milliliter (CFU / ml).

For example, the MIC50 is the lowest concentration of a substance that inhibits the reproduction of at least 50% of the strains tested.

Antibiotics can also be characterized using the minimum bactericidal concentration (MBK).