The antimicrobial gamithromycin is now available on microbroth dilution susceptibility plates, giving veterinary microbiology laboratories the means to perform susceptibility testing on organisms that cause bovine respiratory disease (BRD) in beef and non-lactating dairy cattle, and expanding treatment options for veterinarians.

The Thermo Scientific Sensititre System, recognized for having one of the largest and most up-to-date selections of antimicrobials for susceptibility testing, with more than 40 that are veterinary-specific, is now the first to offer gamithromycin on microbroth dilution susceptibility plates. Gamithromycin is available in the U.S. on Sensititre veterinary custom plates, and will be featured on a new bovine/porcine-specific standard plate in early 2018. The standard format, Thermo Scientific Bovine/Porcine Plate (Part No. BOPO7F), meets the CLSI VET01S guidelines. A variety of other species-specific, standard diagnostic formats are also available for applications related to avian and poultry, companion animals, equine and mastitis.

"Bovine respiratory disease has become a widespread issue associated with hundreds of millions of lost dollars per year for the cattle industry, so determining the best treatment option through diagnostic testing is critical. We are pleased to be able to offer this new compound on the Sensititre System, providing laboratories with a much-needed device to be able to perform AST, and providing veterinarians with another treatment option as they continue to battle rising levels of resistance," said Bernd Hofmann, vice president of marketing, Thermo Fisher Scientific microbiology.

The Sensititre System utilizes true minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) results, which are essential to identifying antimicrobial resistance, and provide greater sensitivity for better resistance tracking. True MIC results are also the best measure of antibacterial effect, which can assist with therapeutic choices and promote overall better patient care.

ZACTRAN® (gamithromycin, Merial, Inc.) is indicated for the treatment of bovine respiratory disease (BRD) associated with Mannheimia haemolytica, Pasteurella multocida, Histophilus somni and Mycoplasma bovis in beef and non-lactating dairy cattle. ZACTRAN is also indicated for the control of respiratory disease in beef and non-lactating dairy cattle at high risk of developing BRD associated with Mannheimia haemolytica and Pasteurella multocida.