Vote and Deadlines
Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (AST): Disk (M2-A9), MIC (M7-A7), and Informational Supplement (M100-S16); Analyzing and Presenting AST Data (M39-A2); AST of Aquatic Species Isolates: Disk (M42-P) and MIC (M49-P); Body Fluid Analysis (H56-P)

Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) announces that the following are submitted for vote as candidate-for-advancement consensus documents:

M2-A9—Performance Standards for Antimicrobial Disk Susceptibility Tests; Approved Standard—Ninth Edition
This document contains the current recommended methods for disk susceptibility testing, criteria for quality control testing, and updated tables for interpretive zone diameters.  The deadline for the completed ballot for M2-A9 to be received at the CLSI offices is 18 October 2005.

M7-A7—Methods for Dilution Antimicrobial Susceptibility Tests for Bacteria That Grow Aerobically; Approved Standard—Seventh Edition
This document addresses reference methods for the determination of minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of aerobic bacteria by broth macrodilution, broth microdilution, and agar dilution.  The deadline for the completed ballot for M7-A7 to be received at the CLSI offices is 18 October 2005.

M100-S16—Performance Standards for Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing:  Sixteenth Informational Supplement
This document provides updated tables for the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) antimicrobial susceptibility testing standards M2-A9 and M7-A7.  The deadline for the completed ballot for M100-S16 to be received at the CLSI offices is 18 October 2005.

M39-A2—Analysis and Presentation of Cumulative Antimicrobial Susceptibility Test Data; Approved Guideline—Second Edition
This document describes methods for recording and analysis of antimicrobial susceptibility test data, consisting of cumulative and ongoing summaries of susceptibility patterns of clinically significant microorganisms.  The deadline for the completed ballot for M39-A2 to be received at the CLSI offices is 18 October 2005.

M42-P—Methods for Antimicrobial Disk Susceptibility Testing of Bacteria Isolated From Aquatic Animals; Proposed Guideline
M42-P provides the most up-to-date techniques for disk diffusion susceptibility testing of aquatic species isolates.  This guideline includes quality control and quality assurance parameters for both fastidious and nonfastidious aquatic bacterial pathogens, protocols for data comparison between laboratories, and nonfastidious aquatic bacterial pathogen testing.  The deadline for the completed ballot for M42-P to be received at the CLSI offices is 17 November 2005.

M49-P—Methods for Broth Dilution Susceptibility Testing of Bacteria Isolated From Aquatic Animals; Proposed Guideline
A standardized broth dilution method for determining minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of aquatic bacteria by broth micro- and macrodilution.  This guideline includes quality control and quality assurance parameters for both fastidious and nonfastidious aquatic bacterial pathogens, protocols for data comparison between laboratories, and nonfastidious aquatic bacterial pathogen testing.  The deadline for the completed ballot for M49-P to be received at the CLSI offices is 17 November 2005.

H56-P—Body Fluid Analysis for Cellular Composition; Proposed Guideline
This guideline describes manual and automated methods to enumerate cellular components and to identify normal and abnormal elements. It also addresses additional studies that may be used for body fluid testing in the routine clinical laboratory. H56-P provides recommendations for collection and transport of body fluids, numeration and identification of cellular components, and guidance for qualitative and quantitative assessment of body fluid.  The deadline for the completed ballot for H56-P to be received at the CLSI offices is 17 November 2005.

Second Notice

AUTO2-A2—Laboratory Automation: Bar Codes for Specimen Container Identification; Approved Standard—Second Edition
This standard defines the way bar-coded sample identification labels are applied to clinical specimen containers. It documents the form, placement, and content of bar-code labels on specimen container tubes used on clinical laboratory analyzers.  The deadline for the completed ballot for AUTO2-A2 to be received at the CLSI offices is 12 September 2005.

M6-A2—Protocols for Evaluating Dehydrated Mueller-Hinton Agar; Approved Standard—Second Edition
M6-A2 describes three protocols for the evaluation of dehydrated Mueller-Hinton agar in the disk diffusion procedure for antimicrobial susceptibility testing.  The first is for use by manufacturers to evaluate production lots of Mueller-Hinton agar.  The second and third are for selection and stability testing of primary and secondary reference lots of Mueller-Hinton agar.  The deadline for the completed ballot for M6-A2 to be received at the CLSI offices is 12 September 2005.

MM12-P—Diagnostic Nucleic Acid Microarrays; Proposed Guideline
This guideline will define the most favorable conditions and principles for the provision of accurate molecular information.  Recommendations will be provided for many aspects of the array process, including: a method overview; nucleic acid extraction; the preparation, handling, and assessment of genetic material; quality control; analytic validation; and interpretation and reporting of results.  The deadline for the completed ballot for MM12-P to be received at the CLSI offices is 11 October 2005.

MM16-P—Use of External RNA Controls in Gene Expression Assays; Proposed Guideline
This document provides protocols supporting the use of external RNA controls in microarray and QRT-PCR-based gene expression experiments, including preparation of control transcripts, design of primers and amplicons, quality control, use in final experimental or clinical test application, and analysis and interpretation of data obtained.  The deadline for the completed ballot for MM16-P to be received at CLSI is 11 October 2005.

Ballots are posted on the Forums section of our website, available to Active and Associate Active members.  Login to Forums to access the candidate-for-advancement forms, and send your completed ballot to CLSI by the listed deadline. 

Not yet a voting member?  Find out more about Active and Associate Active membership.

Under our Administrative Procedures, a CLSI document approved by the area committee at the first level of the consensus process is submitted to delegates as a “candidate-for-advancement” consensus document. This begins the voting and approval period by the delegates.

Remember that we welcome and encourage comments from our voting members at each publication stage.  Comments on a candidate-for-advancement consensus document will be addressed by the committee prior to advancement.  In each document edition, a summary of comments on the prior edition is included, along with committee responses.  

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