In vitro activity of levofloxacin against coagulase-positive and -negative staphylococci.

The in vitro activity of levofloxacin compared with that of ciprofloxacin, ofloxacin and norfloxacin were examined by conventional in vitro tests against 150 clinical isolates of staphylococci, subdivided according to species and susceptibility to methicillin. Although the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of all quinolones were highest in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus strains, the activity of levofloxacin was almost complete in methicillin-resistant S. epidermidis and methicillin-resistant S. haemolyticus when compared with ciprofloxacin and ofloxacin, which showed more than 30% resistance. Methicillin-susceptible S. aureus and S. epidermidis strains were susceptible to all quinolones with few differences between the antibiotics tested. The minimal bactericidal activity of levofloxacin was within the double dilution range of MIC values for all strains tested, demonstrating its potent role against staphylococci. In time-kill studies, levofloxacin exerted bactericidal activity within 3 h against all staphylococci. These in vitro results suggest that levofloxacin is a potent fluoroquinolone against coagulase-negative staphylococci and that it is both methicillin-susceptible and resistant. Further studies are necessary to determine the role of this drug in the treatment of infections sustained by these microorganisms.     

甲磺酸加替沙星与其他4种氟喹诺酮类药物对临床分离菌的体外抗菌活性比较

目的 :比较甲磺酸加替沙星与氧氟沙星、左氧沙星、环丙沙星、司帕沙星对 182株临床分离菌的体外抗菌活性。方法 :采用琼脂平板二倍稀释法测定加替沙星等 5种氟喹诺酮类药物对 182株临床试验分离菌株的最低抑菌浓度 (MIC)。结果 :加替沙星对葡萄球菌属的MIC90 比其他 4种氟喹诺酮类药物低。葡萄球菌属对加替沙星的敏感率显著高于其他4种氟喹诺酮类药物 ;对其他G 球菌的MICR 也较其他氟喹诺酮类药物低。G-杆菌中埃希菌属、肠杆菌属对加替沙星的敏感率明显高于其他 4种氟喹诺酮类药物 ,加替沙星对埃希菌属、肠杆菌属的MIC90比左氧沙星低 2倍 ,比其他 3种抗菌药物低 8倍 ;假单胞菌属、克雷伯菌属和其他G-杆菌对加替沙星的敏感率与左氧沙星的差异无统计学意义 ,与其他 3种氟喹诺酮类药物的差异有统计学意义。结论 :甲磺酸加替沙星具有广谱而强大的体外抗菌活性。     

Febrile neutropenia in a bone marrow transplantation unit

A total of 119 strains of coagulase-negative staphylococci isolated from clinical specimens were speciated and tested for sensitivity to methicillin and four fluoroquinolones (ciprofloxacin, sparfloxacin, levofloxacin and ofloxacin). Resistance to fluoroquinolones was significantly more common in Staphylococcus haemolyticus (43%) than in Staphylococcus epidermidis (11%). Methicillin-resistant strains of S. haemolyticus were more often resistant to ciprofloxacin than were methicillin-resistant strains of S. epidermidis (P < 0.05). Sparfloxacin was the most active against fluoroquinolone-sensitive strains, and levofloxacin was twice as active as ofloxacin. There was cross-resistance between the four fluoroquinolones. Levofloxacin was the most active against resistant strains, but MICs obtained for all the compounds seemed to be outside the clinically useful range for the treatment of systemic infections.     

Selection of resistant variants of respiratory pathogens by quinolones.

Quinolones are widely used in the treatment of respiratory tract infections. However, some disquiet has been expressed over using quinolones for community-acquired pneumonia since their activity is generally rather poor against Streptococcus pneumoniae. In addition, it is known that resistant variants emerge at a fairly high frequency during exposure of Enterobacteriaceae to quinolones; if this also occurred during quinolone treatment of community-acquired pneumonia it could lead to an increased risk of clinical failure. We therefore determined the selection rate of quinolone-resistant variants for six strains of S. pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae and Moraxella catarrhalis with nalidixic acid (except for S. pneumoniae), ciprofloxacin, ofloxacin and levofloxacin. We were only able to select resistant variants at low frequency from two of the six strains of S. pneumoniae with ciprofloxacin: no resistant variants were selected by either ofloxacin or levofloxacin. Variants of H. influenzae and M. catarrhalis with decreased susceptibility to quinolones were produced both with more strains and with a greater frequency; however, these variants still remained susceptible according to the NCCLS guidelines. Our study suggests that resistant variants of S. pneumoniae are relatively unlikely to occur in individuals treated with fluoroquinolones especially if they are given quinolones with enhanced anti-gram-positive activity compared to ciprofloxacin.     

国产甲磺酸左氧氟沙星体外抗菌活性研究

测定国产甲磺酸左氧氟沙星体外抗菌活性,并与进口左氧氟沙星作比较,以临床常用的氧氟沙星和环丙沙星为对照。结果表明,国产甲磺酸左氧氟沙星与进口左氧氟沙星体外抗菌活性无差异。甲磺酸左氧氟沙星抗菌谱广抗菌活性强,对革兰氏阴性肠道杆菌、肺炎克雷伯氏菌、肠杆菌属细菌、变形杆菌及嗜血杆菌和不动杆菌ＭＩＣ５０值是氧氟沙星的１／２,与环丙沙星一致,分别为＜０．０３、＜０．０３、＜０．０３、０．１２５和０．０３ｍｇ／Ｌ;它对大肠埃希氏菌、金葡球菌、肺炎链球菌、肠球菌、厌氧菌的ＭＩＣ５０值是氧氟沙星和环丙沙星的１／２～１／４;对铜绿假单胞菌ＭＩＣ５０为１ｍｇ／Ｌ,是氧氟沙星的１／２,但稍高于环丙沙星。该产品体外抗菌活性受细菌接种量、血清含量和ｐＨ值影响不明显。研究还表明该产品为一杀菌剂,对临床常见致病菌如大肠埃希氏菌、肺炎克雷伯氏菌、变形杆菌、铜绿假单胞菌、不动杆菌、葡萄球菌、肠球菌、肺炎链球菌、厌氧菌均有良好的杀菌作用。     

Multicentre study of the in vitro evaluation of moxifloxacin and other quinolones against community acquired respiratory pathogens.

The in vitro activity of moxifloxacin was compared with that of ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, ofloxacin and trovafloxacin against 710 strains (180 Streptococcus pneumoniae, 180 Haemophilus influenzae, 160 Moraxella catarrhalis and 190 Streptococcus pyogenes) isolated from patients with community-acquired respiratory tract infections. MIC values for moxifloxacin, trovafloxacin were 0.25/0.25, 0.03/0.03, 0.06/0.03 and 0.125/0.0125 mg/l for S. pneumoniae, H. influenzae, M. catharralis and S. pyogenes. Based upon the MIC(90) values and the MIC distributions, moxifloxacin and trovafloxacin were the most active of the quinolones tested. They showed enhanced activity against Gram-positive organisms including penicillin non susceptible S. pneumoniae strains. Moxifloxacin was also highly active against ciprofloxacin-resistant S. pneumoniae strains.     

Concentrations in plasma, urinary excretion and bactericidal activity of levofloxacin (500 mg) versus ciprofloxacin (500 mg) in healthy volunteers receiving a single oral dose

In a randomised crossover study, 14 volunteers received a single oral dose of 500 mg levofloxacin or 500 mg ciprofloxacin in order to assess plasma concentrations by high-pressure liquid chromatography (up to 24 h), urinary excretion and urinary bactericidal titres (UBTs) at intervals up to 120 h. The median maximum concentration of levofloxacin in plasma was 6.1 mg/L and that of ciprofloxacin was 2.3 mg/L. The median cumulative level of renal excretion of the administered dose of the parent drug was 81.2% for levofloxacin and 36.2% for ciprofloxacin. UBTs were determined for a reference strain and nine clinical uropathogens. The median UBTs of both quinolones measured within the first 12 h were between 0 and 1:≥1024, correlating with the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of the strains. For Gram-negative strains, the UBTs of both quinolones were comparable despite the lower MICs of ciprofloxacin. During further time courses, however, the UBTs of levofloxacin were significantly higher than those of ciprofloxacin. For Gram-positive strains, for which the MICs of levofloxacin were equal to or lower than those of ciprofloxacin, the UBTs of levofloxacin were already significantly higher from the beginning. It can be concluded that overall the doses of the two tested fluoroquinolones may be considered equivalent with regard to treatment of complicated urinary tract infections, although the recommended dosing is twice daily for ciprofloxacin and once daily for levofloxacin.     

In vitro susceptibilities of Bartonella and Rickettsia spp. to fluoroquinolone antibiotics as determined by immunofluorescent antibody analysis of infected Vero cell monolayers.

The in vitro susceptibilities of Bartonella and Rickettsia spp. to different concentrations of ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, ofloxacin and sparfloxacin in Vero cell cultures, were determined by enumeration of immunofluorescent-stained bacilli. After incubation in a CO(2)-enriched atmosphere, inocula were replaced and tested with media containing 12 different concentrations of each antibiotic in replicate for each species and the monolayers were re-incubated. Growth status was determined by evaluation of immunofluorescent staining bacilli. Effective inhibitory antibiotic dilution endpoints were determined by counting Bartonella- and Rickettsia-specific fluorescent foci across a range of antibiotic dilutions with an epi-fluorescent microscope, and were compared with an antibiotic-negative control. Based upon the use of C(max):MIC and AUC:MIC data, levofloxacin exhibited activity against Bartonella elizabethae and B. quintana.     

Comparative activities of six different fluoroquinolones against 9,682 clinical bacterial isolates from 20 European university hospitals participating in the European SENTRY surveillance programme

The in-vitro activities of gatifloxacin, trovafloxacin, levofloxacin, sparfloxacin, ofloxacin, and ciprofloxacin were tested against 9,682 clinical bacterial isolates from 20 European university hospitals participating in the European SENTRY surveillance programme. Gatifloxacin and trovafloxacin exhibited the highest activities against Gram-positive cocci, while levofloxacin, ofloxacin, ciprofloxacin, and gatifloxacin were the most active against Enterobacteriaceae. Ciprofloxacin and levofloxacin showed the highest antimicrobial activities against Pseudomonas spp., while gatifloxacin and trovafloxacin were the most active against Acinetobacter spp. and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia. All Haemophilus spp. and Moraxella catarrhalis isolates were fully susceptible to all quinolones tested. Overall, the new quinolones, showed improved activity against Gram-positive cocci and Gram-negative non-fermenters while retaining their broad-spectrum activity against Gram-negative bacilli.     

Binding characteristics of fluoroquinolones to synthetic levodopa melanin

To define the binding characteristics of fluoroquinolones to synthetic levodopa melanin, the binding of various drugs, including levofloxacin and ofloxacin, and positive controls (timolol and chloroquine), was investigated in-vitro. The affinity and capacity of the drug binding were calculated by Langmuir's adsorption isotherm. The affinity constant (K) and the binding capacity (r(max)) of levofloxacin were similar to those of timolol and much lower than those of chloroquine. Racemic ofloxacin and its enantiomers showed similar K and r(max), suggesting that the binding lacked stereoselectivity. The binding experiment with levofloxacin derivatives indicated that the basic nitrogen atom at position 7 of the quinolone ring, but not carboxyl group at position 3, would play a critical role in the interaction of fluoroquinolones with melanin. The melanin-drug complexes of levofloxacin and chloroquine were washed with neutral phosphate buffer, ethanol and 1 M HCl solution to explain the nature of the interaction of melanin with the drugs. Electrostatic forces mainly participate in the formation of the chloroquine-melanin complex, whereas van der Waals' and hydrophobic interactions are involved in the levofloxacin-melanin complex in addition to electrostatic forces. The interactions of various fluoroquinolones such as norfloxacin, enoxacin, sparfloxacin, ciprofloxacin and lomefloxacin with melanin were also studied. The results showed that the relative K value was: chloroquine approximately ciprofloxacin, sparfloxacin >/= lomefloxacin > timolol, levofloxacin approximately enoxacin, norfloxacin, and that the relative r(max) value was: norfloxacin, enoxacin >/= chloroquine, sparfloxacin > levofloxacin, ciprofloxacin, timolol, lomefloxacin. The fluoroquinolones vary in their affinity and capacity to bind with melanin, and ciprofloxacin and sparfloxacin showed a stronger interaction with melanin than the other fluoroquinolones studied.     

司帕沙星与其他5种抗菌药体外抗菌活性比较研究

测定了司帕沙星对临床分离的１９９ 株致病菌的体外抗菌活性并与氧氟沙星、环丙沙星、头孢唑啉、头孢噻肟、阿米卡星的抗菌活性进行比较。司帕沙星对革兰阳性菌的ＭＩＣ９０为０．１２５～０．５ｍ ｇ／Ｌ,对金葡球菌、化脓链球菌的抑菌率均为１００％ ,强于氧氟沙星、环丙沙星;对革兰阴性菌也具有良好的体外抗菌活性,与氧氟沙星、环丙沙星相似。不同细菌接种量和不同浓度血清对其抗菌活性无明显影响,仅在ｐＨ５．０ 时抗菌活性略有下降     

Activities of antimicrobial agents against 5,180 clinical isolates obtained from 26 medical institutions during 1998 in Japan. Levofloxacin--Surveillance Group

The surveillance study was conducted to determine the antimicrobial activity of fluoroquinolones (ofloxacin, levofloxacin, ciprofloxacin, tosufloxacin) and other 20 antimicrobial agents against 5,180 clinical isolates obtained from 26 medical institutions during 1998 in Japan. The resistance to fluoroquinolones was remarkable in Enterococci, methicillin-resistant staphylococci and Pseudomonas aeruginosa from UTI. However, many of the common pathogens such as Streptococcus pneumoniae including penicillin-resistant isolates, methicillin-susceptible Stahylococcus aureus, Moraxella catarrhalis, the family of Enterobacteriaceae, Haemophilus influenzae including ampicillin-resistant isolates have been kept to be susceptible to fluoroquinolones. About 90% of P. aeruginosa isolates from RTI were susceptible to fluoroquinolones. In conclusion, the results from this surveillance study suggest that fluoroquinolones are useful in the treatment of various bacterial infections including respiratory infections.     

Bactericidal activity of levofloxacin and ciprofloxacin on clinical isolates of different phenotypes of Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Levofloxacin has been reported to have in vitro activity against both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. A recent survey carried out at our Institution showed clinical isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to be more susceptible to levofloxacin than to ciprofloxacin. The in vitro activity of the two fluoroquinolones was evaluated further by looking at their bactericidal activity against two strains of each of the following antibio-phenotypes of P. aeruginosa: levofloxacin- and ciprofloxacin-susceptible, levofloxacin-susceptible/ciprofloxacin-resistant, levofloxacin-susceptible/ciprofloxacin-susceptible and ceftazidime-resistant, (National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards susceptibility breakpoints were used). MIC and MBC values were measured and time-kill experiments were carried out. Drugs were used at susceptibility or resistance breakpoint concentrations in the time-kill experiments and results were recorded over 12 h in an attempt to link in vitro results with the clinical situation The polypeptide profiles of outer membrane preparations of the six strains were examined by gel electrophoresis. Levofloxacin was shown to be more bactericidal than ciprofloxacin in the time-kill experiments. No differences were observed between the outer membrane proteins of the six strains. Levofloxacin showed greater bactericidal activity against P. aeruginosa clinical isolates than ciprofloxacin.     

In vitro activity of sitafloxacin compared with several fluoroquinolones against Streptococcus anginosus and Streptococcus constellatus

The in vitro activities of sitafloxacin and seven other fluoroquinolones a (ciprofloxacin, tosufloxacin, sparfloxacin, levofloxacin, T-3811ME, moxifloxacin and trovafloxacin) were examined by the microdilution method against 79 clinically isolated 'Streptococcus milleri' group (SMG) microorganisms. No statistically significant differences were found between the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC(50) and MIC(90)) against Streptococcus anginosus and Streptococcus constellatus. Sitafloxacin was the most active agent of the eight fluoroquinolones tested against SMG, with a MIC(90) of 0.06 microg/mL, which was 8 times more active than ciprofloxacin and 16 times more active than levofloxacin. Although none of the SMG strains showed high resistance to any of the fluoroquinolones tested, three agents (trovafloxacin, sitafloxacin and T-3811ME) had low MICs against 23 SMG strains against which levofloxacin had a MIC> 1 microg/mL. In conclusion, several fluoroquinolones have low MICs against SMG, but sitafloxacin has the lowest.     

Comparative in vitro activity of gemifloxacin to other fluoroquinolones and non-quinolone agents against Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae and Moraxella catarrhalis in the United States in 1999-2000

This study was undertaken to assess the in vitro activity of gemifloxacin, five other fluoroquinolone antimicrobial agents (ciprofloxacin, gatifloxacin, levofloxacin, moxifloxacin and ofloxacin) and other non-quinolone comparator agents (ampicillin, erythromycin, clindamycin, doxycycline, penicillin and trimethoprim/sulphamethoxazole) against Streptococcus pneumoniae collected in the United States. Susceptibility testing of 550 S. pneumoniae, 290 Haemophilus influenzae and 205 Moraxella catarrhalis showed that 38.2% of pneumococci were penicillin nonsusceptible, while 26.2 and 95.6% of H. influenzae and M. catarrhalis, respectively, produced beta-lactamase. Overall new fluoroquinolones were the most active agents. The in vitro activity (based on MIC90 in mg/l) of the six fluoroquinolones was gemifloxacin>moxifloxacin>gatifloxacin>levofloxacin>ciprofloxacin and ofloxacin.     

In vitro activity of four fluoroquinolones against Mycobacterium tuberculosis

The in vitro activity of ciprofloxacin, ofloxacin, levofloxacin and moxifloxacin against strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis was studied. Moxifloxacin and levofloxacin showed the greatest activity having an MIC(90) of 1 mg/l. The MIC(90) for ofloxacin was 2 mg/l and for ciprofloxacin 4 mg/l. Further studies should be made to determine the role played by these compounds in the treatment of tuberculosis.     

6种氟喹诺酮类药物对临床分离金葡萄的抗菌活性比较

目的：观察临床分离金葡萄对6种氟喹诺酮类药物的耐药情况。方法：用琼脂稀释法测定诺氟沙星（NFLX）、氧氟沙星（OFLX）、氟罗沙星（FLRX）、环丙沙星（CPFX）、司帕沙星（SPFX）、托舒沙星（TFLX）6种2、3代氟喹诺桐类药物对成都地区155株临床分离金葡菌的体外抗菌活性。结果：金葡菌对6种药物的耐药率分别为诺氟沙星35.5%。氟罗沙星34.19%,环丙沙星27.75%,托舒沙星27.75% ,氧氟沙星25.81%,司帕沙星25.81%。结论：氟喹诺酮类药物的广泛应用已使细菌的耐药性明显增高,各药MIC90均超过16mg.L^-1,比以往文献报道的本地区金葡萄耐药性明显升高,提示要合理应用氟喹诺酮类药物,减少耐药菌株的增加。     

Inhibitory and bactericidal activities of gemifloxacin and other antimicrobials against Mycoplasma pneumoniae

The MIC of gemifloxacin was compared with that of sparfloxacin, levofloxacin, moxifloxacin, gatifloxacin, ciprofloxacin, doxycycline, erythromycin, azithromycin and clarithromycin using 97 clinical isolates of Mycoplasma pneumoniae. MBCs of fluoroquinolones were determined for a subgroup of 12 isolates. Macrolides were the most potent agents with MIC₉₀s for all drugs 0.001 mg/l. The doxycycline MIC₉₀ was 0.5 mg/l. Gemifloxacin MICs ranged from 0.001 to 0.25 mg/l. The gemifloxacin MIC₉₀ (0.125 mg/l) was equivalent to moxifloxacin and gatifloxacin, was 2-fold lower than sparfloxacin, 8-fold lower than levofloxacin and 32-fold lower than ciprofloxacin. MBCs for gemifloxacin were predominantly within 2–4 times the corresponding MIC values, indicating a bactericidal effect.     

The importance of active efflux systems in the quinolone resistance of clinical isolates of Salmonella spp

The aim of this study was to determine the importance of the active elimination of antibiotics by active efflux systems, in the decrease in fluoroquinolone sensitivity of clinical isolates of Salmonella spp. as well as the intrinsic antibiotic activity of certain active efflux system inhibitors. The effect of the active efflux system on the decrease in sensitivity to nalidixic acid, ciprofloxacin, ofloxacin and sparfloxacin was studied by investigating the variation in the in vitro activity of these compounds when assayed in association with reserpine and MC 207.110. The active efflux systems inhibited by reserpine displayed low activity in the elimination of these compounds, whereas those inhibited by MC 207.110 showed high activity in the elimination of nalidixic acid and sparfloxacin, but were less effective in the elimination of ofloxacin and ciprofloxacin. These two compounds did not exhibit intrinsic inhibitory activity against Salmonella spp. at the concentrations assayed. These mechanisms of resistance to antibiotics are complex and vary depending on the chemical composition of the antibiotics used, and perhaps the inhibitors of these systems, although they do not exhibit any intrinsic antibiotic activity, may be used as adjuvants to increase the activity of certain antibiotics. These mechanisms complement the mutations in the gyrA gene and this supports the thesis that it is necessary to lower the breakpoint established by the NCCLS for ciprofloxacin, since the strains studied have resistance mechanisms that reduce the activity of this drug and may favour the emergence of resistant mutants during treatment.     

Du6859a及其他新的氟喹诺酮类药物的体外抗菌活性

用琼脂稀释法测定Ｄｕ６８５９ａ对１２０６株临床分离菌的抗菌作用，并与其同类品种（司帕沙星、托舒沙星、诺氟沙星、氧氟沙星、左氟沙星、环丙沙星）比较。Ｄｕ６８５ｑａ对金葡球菌不产酶株、ＭＳＳＡ、ＭＲＳＡ、ＭＲＳＥ，溶血性链球菌和肺炎球菌的ＭＩＣ＿（９０）均为０．５ｍｇ／Ｌ；对肠球菌的ＭＩＣ＿（９０）为２ｍｇ／Ｌ，优于其同类品种。多数肠杆菌科细菌可为０．２５ｍｇ／Ｌ，铜绿假单胞菌可为０．５ｍｇ／Ｌ的本品所抑制，其抗菌活性与司帕沙星和托舒沙星相似。Ｄｕ６８５９ａ对各种厌氧菌亦具良好作用，多数菌株可为０．５ｍｇ／Ｌ的浓度抑制。因此认为本品具有良好的临床应用前景，值得进一步临床试验。