The effect of the sub-minimal inhibitory concentration and the concentrations within resistant mutation window of ciprofloxacin on MIC, swimming motility and biofilm formation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

•The method of this paper was special. We incubated P.aeruginosa with different concentrations for 5 days. We found the variation trend of measurements over time and differences in the effects of different concentrations on the measurements.•In this study, the MICs, resistance rates and ability of biofilm formation and of P.aeruginosa against CIP was higher and stronger at the concentrations within MSW than at the sub-MIC. However, the swimming motility was stronger under the sub-MIC than the concentrations within MSW.The results of our study could be of great value in the establishment of reasonable dosing regimens to prevent resistance of P. aeruginosa to CIP.•Special and rigorous statistical method, repeated analysis of variance, made our conclusions more credible.