plaque

plaque, in microbiology, a clear area on an otherwise opaque field of bacteria that indicates the inhibition or dissolution of the bacterial cells by some agent, either a virus or an antibiotic. It is a sensitive laboratory indicator of the presence of some anti-bacterial factor.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Kara Rogers.
Citation Information
Article Title: plaque
Website Name: Encyclopaedia Britannica
Publisher: Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.
Date Published: 05 July 2017
Access Date: March 14, 2025