The ability of the Vitek AutoMicrobic system (AMS; Vitek, Inc., Hazelwood, MO) and disk-diffusion method to detect beta-lactam resistance was assessed with 25 strains from four species of Aeromonas. A very major error was indicated when a strain was shown to be susceptible by the AMS or disk-diffusion method but resistant by the agar dilution method. The rates for very major errors for disk diffusion and the AMS were 0% and 43%, respectively. The beta-lactam agents and numbers of very major errors for the AMS were as follows: ticarcillin, 17; mezlocillin, 3; piperacillin, 4; cephalothin, 9; cefazolin, 3; cefoxitin, 1; cefotetan, 2; and cefuroxime, 1. Thus, these data suggest that the AMS currently is not reliable for testing the resistance of Aeromonas to beta-lactam agents.
