CLSIEUCAST

CLSI EUCAST refers to the collaboration and integration of guidelines and standards from two prominent organizations in antimicrobial susceptibility testing: the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) and the European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (EUCAST). CLSI is a U.S.-based organization that develops and promotes best practices in clinical laboratory testing, while EUCAST is a subcommittee of the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID) that sets standards for antimicrobial susceptibility testing in Europe. Historically, these organizations developed their own guidelines and breakpoints, leading to potential discrepancies. In recent years, there has been a significant effort to harmonize these standards, particularly concerning antimicrobial breakpoints, which are critical values used to categorize bacteria as susceptible, intermediate, or resistant to an antibiotic. This harmonization aims to ensure consistency in reporting and interpretation of susceptibility test results globally, facilitating more effective antimicrobial stewardship and patient care. While complete alignment may still be evolving, the CLSI EUCAST convergence represents a move towards a unified approach in a crucial area of infectious disease management.