Final answer:
The commercial modification of the disk diffusion test is called the E test. It uses plastic strips with a gradient of an antimicrobial to determine the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC).
Step-by-step explanation:
The commercial modification of the disk diffusion test is called the E test. It is an alternative method used to determine Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) of antimicrobial drugs against specific microorganisms.
The E test involves using commercially available plastic strips that contain a gradient of an antibacterial. These strips are placed on the agar plate inoculated with a bacterial isolate. As the bacterial cells grow, the antibiotic diffuses from the strip into the agar, forming an elliptical zone of inhibition. The intersection of the elliptical zone with the gradient on the strip indicates the MIC of the antimicrobial.