PMC9817160_01
Timeline of recurrent UTIs.. Timeline of the disease. The column for each timepoint describes the pathogen identified with conventional microlab or AtbFinder methods, such as E. faecalis (EF), P. aeruginosa (PA), A. xylosoxidans (AX), and K. pneumoniae (KP), as well as the antibiotics used for the corresponding treatment, including levofloxacin (LEV), meropenem (MEM), fosfomycin (FOF), cefepime (CEF), ceftriaxone (CRO), azithromycin (AZT), and colistin (CST). The red square identifies the initiation point of AtbFinder-based therapy. (For interpretation of the references to colour in this figure legend, the reader is referred to the Web version of this article.)
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The response was insufficient and the bacteria persisted for the next two weeks, which prompted treatment with meropenem and levofloxacin (Fig. 1).
Image of a 48-well AtbFinder plate, showing bacterial growth after 12 h of cultivation at 37  C.. The agar in each well is supplemented with one or several antibiotics at concentrations deemed effective in urine. Well F8 represents an antibiotic-free control. No bacterial growth is displayed by wells C4 (ceftriaxone + amikacin), D5 (levofloxacin + azithromycin), and E2 (piperacillin/tazobactam + levofloxacin), highlighted with red arrows. (For interpretation of the references to colour in this figure legend, the reader is referred to the Web version of this article.)
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Instead, the latter identified ceftriaxone + amikacin, levofloxacin + azithromycin, and piperacillin/tazobactam + levofloxacin as effective (Fig. 2).