Antimicrobial Activity of the Pleuromutilin Antibiotic BC-3781 against Bacterial Pathogens Isolated in the SENTRY Antimicrobial Surveillance Program in 2010

BC-3781 is a novel semisynthetic pleuromutilin antibiotic inhibiting bacterial protein synthesis. BC-3781 has completed a phase 2 clinical trial in acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections (ABSSSI). Its antibacterial spectrum additionally covers the predominant pathogens causing community-acquired bacterial pneumonia (CABP). In this study, the antibacterial activity of BC-3781 was evaluated against a contemporary collection of 10,035 bacterial isolates predominately causing ABSSSI and CABP, among other infections, collected within the SENTRY Antimicrobial Surveillance Program worldwide in 2010. BC-3781 exhibited potent activity against organisms commonly isolated from ABSSSI such as Staphylococcus aureus (MIC_50/90, 0.12/0.12 μg/ml; 99.8% inhibited at ≤0.5 μg/ml), beta-hemolytic streptococci (MIC_50/90, 0.03/0.03 μg/ml; 99.3% inhibited at ≤0.5 μg/ml), and coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS; MIC_50/90, 0.06/0.12 μg/ml; 97.8% inhibited at ≤1 μg/ml). BC-3781 displayed similar MIC distributions among methicillin-susceptible (MSSA) and methicillin-resistant (MRSA) S. aureus strains. BC-3781 was also active against Enterococcus faecium, with 76.3% of vancomycin-susceptible and 97.0% of vancomycin-resistant isolates being inhibited at BC-3781 concentrations of ≤1 μg/ml. Beta-hemolytic and viridans group streptococci were highly susceptible to BC-3781, with 99.3% and 96.7% of isolates inhibited at ≤0.5 μg/ml, respectively. Further, activity of BC-3781 against Streptococcus pneumoniae (MIC_50/90, 0.12/0.25 μg/ml), Haemophilus influenzae (MIC_50/90, 1/2 μg/ml), and Moraxella catarrhalis (MIC_50/90, 0.12/0.25 μg/ml) was not negatively influenced by β-lactamase production or resistance to other antimicrobial classes tested. In all, BC-3781 displayed a very potent antibacterial profile including the most prevalent bacterial pathogens causing ABSSSI and CABP, thus warranting further clinical development of this antibiotic in these and possibly other indications.     

Baseline Activity of Telavancin against Gram-Positive Clinical Isolates Responsible for Documented Infections in U.S. Hospitals (2011-2012) as Determined by the Revised Susceptibility Testing Method

Telavancin had MIC₅₀ and MIC₉₀ values of 0.03 and 0.06 μg/ml (100.0% susceptible), respectively, against methicillin-resistant and -susceptible Staphylococcus aureus. Telavancin was active against vancomycin-susceptible Enterococcus faecalis (MIC_50/90, 0.12/0.12 μg/ml; 100% susceptible) and Enterococcus faecium (MIC_50/90, 0.03/0.06 μg/ml), while higher MIC values were obtained against vancomycin-resistant E. faecium (MIC_50/90, 1/2 μg/ml) and E. faecalis (MIC_50/90, >2/>2 μg/ml). Streptococci showed telavancin modal MIC results of ≤0.015 μg/ml, except against Streptococcus agalactiae (i.e., 0.03 μg/ml). This study reestablishes the telavancin spectrum of activity against isolates recovered from the United States (2011-2012) using the revised broth microdilution method.     

Susceptibilities of Penicillin- and Erythromycin-Susceptible and -Resistant Pneumococci to HMR 3647 (RU 66647), a New Ketolide, Compared with Susceptibilities to 17 Other Agents

Susceptibility of 230 penicillin- and erythromycin-susceptible and -resistant pneumococci to HMR 3647 (RU 66647), a new ketolide, was tested by agar dilution, and results were compared with those of erythromycin, azithromycin, clarithromycin, roxithromycin, rokitamycin, clindamycin, pristinamycin, ciprofloxacin, sparfloxacin, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, doxycycline, chloramphenicol, cefuroxime, ceftriaxone, imipenem, and vancomycin. HMR 3647 was very active against all strains tested, with MICs at which 90% of the strains were inhibited (MIC₉₀s) of 0.03 μg/ml for erythromycin-susceptible strains (MICs, ≤0.25 μg/ml) and 0.25 μg/ml for erythromycin-resistant strains (MICs, ≥1.0 μg/ml). All other macrolides yielded MIC₉₀s of 0.03 to 0.25 and >64.0 μg/ml for erythromycin-susceptible and -resistant strains, respectively. The MICs of clindamycin for 51 of 100 (51%) erythromycin-resistant strains were ≤0.125 μg/ml. The MICs of pristinamycin for all strains were ≤1.0 μg/ml. The MIC₉₀s of ciprofloxacin and sparfloxacin were 4.0 and 0.5 μg/ml, respectively, and were unaffected by penicillin or erythromycin susceptibility. Vancomycin and imipenem inhibited all strains at ≤1.0 μg/ml. The MICs of cefuroxime and cefotaxime rose with those of penicillin G. The MICs of trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, doxycycline, and chloramphenicol were variable but were generally higher in penicillin- and erythromycin-resistant strains. HMR 3647 had the best kill kinetics of all macrolides tested against 11 erythromycin-susceptible and -resistant strains, with uniform bactericidal activity (99.9% killing) after 24 h at two times the MIC and 99% killing of all strains at two times the MIC after 12 h for all strains. Pristinamycin showed more rapid killing at 2 to 6 h, with 99.9% killing of 10 of 11 strains after 24 h at two times the MIC. Other macrolides showed significant activity, relative to the MIC, against erythromycin-susceptible strains only.     

Ceftaroline Activity against Bacterial Pathogens Frequently Isolated in U.S. Medical Centers: Results from Five Years of the AWARE Surveillance Program

A total of 84,704 isolates were collected from 191 medical centers in 2009 to 2013 and tested for susceptibility to ceftaroline and comparator agents by broth microdilution methods. Ceftaroline inhibited all Staphylococcus aureus isolates at ≤2 μg/ml and was very active against methicillin-resistant strains (MIC at which 90% of the isolates tested are inhibited [MIC₉₀], 1 μg/ml; 97.6% susceptible). Among Streptococcus pneumoniae isolates, the highest ceftaroline MIC was 0.5 μg/ml, and ceftaroline activity against the most common Enterobacteriaceae species (MIC₅₀, 0.12 μg/ml; 78.9% susceptible) was similar to that of ceftriaxone (MIC₅₀, ≤0.25 μg/ml; 86.8% susceptible).     

Results from the Solithromycin International Surveillance Program (2014)

Solithromycin, a fourth-generation macrolide (a fluoroketolide with enhanced activity against macrolide-resistant bacteria due to interaction with three ribosomal sites) and the first fluoroketolide, was tested against a 2014 collection of 6,115 isolates, including Streptococcus pneumoniae (1,713 isolates), Haemophilus influenzae (1,308), Moraxella catarrhalis (577), Staphylococcus aureus (1,024), and beta-hemolytic streptococci (1,493), by reference broth microdilution methods. The geographic samples included 2,748 isolates from the United States, 2,536 from Europe, 386 from Latin America, and 445 from the Asia-Pacific region. Solithromycin was observed to be very active against S. pneumoniae (MIC_50/90, 0.008/0.12 μg/ml), demonstrating 2-fold greater activity than telithromycin (MIC_50/90, 0.015/0.25 μg/ml) and 16- to >256-fold greater activity than azithromycin (MIC_50/90, 0.12/>32 μg/ml), with all strains being inhibited at a solithromycin MIC of ≤1 μg/ml. Against H. influenzae, solithromycin showed potency identical to that of telithromycin (MIC_50/90, 1/2 μg/ml), and both of these compounds were 2-fold less active than azithromycin (MIC_50/90, 0.5/1 μg/ml). All but one of the M. catarrhalis isolates were inhibited by solithromycin at ≤0.25 μg/ml. Solithromycin inhibited 85.3% of S. aureus isolates at ≤1 μg/ml, and its activity was lower against methicillin-resistant (MIC_50/90, 0.06/>32 μg/ml) than against methicillin-susceptible (MIC_50/90, 0.06/0.06 μg/ml) isolates. Little variation in solithromycin activity was observed by geographic region for the species tested. Solithromycin was very active against beta-hemolytic streptococci (MIC_50/90, 0.015/0.03 μg/ml), and all isolates were inhibited at MIC values of ≤0.5 μg/ml. In conclusion, solithromycin demonstrated potent activity against global and contemporary (2014) pathogens that represent the major causes of community-acquired bacterial pneumonia. These data support the continued clinical development of solithromycin for the treatment of this important indication.     

In Vitro Activities of Voriconazole, Fluconazole, and Itraconazole against 566 Clinical Isolates of Cryptococcus neoformans from the United States and Africa

We investigated the in vitro activity of voriconazole compared to those of fluconazole and itraconazole against 566 clinical isolates of Cryptococcus neoformans from Africa (164) and the United States (402). Isolates were obtained from cerebrospinal fluid (362), blood (139), and miscellaneous sites (65). Voriconazole (MIC at which 90% of the isolates are inhibited [MIC₉₀], 0.12 to 0.25 μg/ml) was more active than either itraconazole (MIC₉₀, 0.5 μg/ml) or fluconazole (MIC₉₀, 8.0 to 16 μg/ml) against both African and U.S. isolates. Isolates inhibited by ≥16 μg of fluconazole per ml were almost all (99%) inhibited by ≤1 μg of voriconazole per ml. These results suggest that voriconazole may be useful in the treatment of cryptococcosis.     

Comparison of Inhibitory and Bactericidal Activities and Postantibiotic Effects of LY333328 and Ampicillin Used Singly and in Combination against Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococcus faecium

One hundred ninety-five individual vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium (VRE) isolates from five upstate New York hospitals were studied for antimicrobial susceptibilities to LY333328, quinupristin-dalfopristin, teicoplanin, ampicillin, and gentamicin. LY333328 was the most active antibiotic against VRE. The effect of media and methods on the antibacterial activity of LY333328, its synergy with ampicillin, and the postantibiotic effects (PAE) of LY333328 and ampicillin were evaluated. In microdilution tests, the MIC of LY333328 at which 90% of the isolates were inhibited (MIC₉₀) was 2 μg/ml in Mueller-Hinton II (MH II) broth and 1 μg/ml in brain heart infusion (BHI) broth. In contrast, on MH II agar the MIC₉₀ was 4 μg/ml and on BHI agar it was >16 μg/ml. Bactericidal activity was observed for most strains at concentrations from 8 to ≥133 times the MIC of the tube macrodilution in MH II broth. A bactericidal effect of LY333328 plus ampicillin was demonstrated in time-kill studies, but there was great strain-to-strain variability. By the MH II agar dilution method, bacteristatic synergy (defined as a fractional inhibitory concentration of <0.5) with LY333328 and ampicillin was demonstrated for 61% of the strains tested. Under similar conditions, there was synergy with LY333328 and quinupristin-dalfopristin or gentamicin for 27 and 15% of the strains tested, respectively. The PAE of LY333328 was prolonged (23.0 h at 10 times the MIC). However, 50% normal pooled human serum decreased the PAE to 12.2 h at 10 times the MIC. Test conditions and media had a considerable effect on VRE susceptibilities to LY333328. The prolonged PAE of LY333328, a potent new bactericidal glycopeptide, and its synergy with ampicillin in a large proportion of strains suggest that further evaluation of this drug in pharmacokinetic studies and experimental infections, including those with VRE, is warranted.     

Ceftobiprole Activity against over 60,000 Clinical Bacterial Pathogens Isolated in Europe,Turkey, and Israel from 2005 to 2010

Ceftobiprole medocaril is a newly approved drug in Europe for the treatment of hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP) (excluding patients with ventilator-associated pneumonia but including ventilated HAP patients) and community-acquired pneumonia in adults. The aim of this study was to evaluate the in vitro antimicrobial activity of ceftobiprole against prevalent Gram-positive and -negative pathogens isolated in Europe, Turkey, and Israel during 2005 through 2010. A total of 60,084 consecutive, nonduplicate isolates from a wide variety of infections were collected from 33 medical centers. Species identification was confirmed, and all isolates were susceptibility tested using reference broth microdilution methods. Ceftobiprole had high activity against methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) (100.0% susceptible), methicillin-susceptible coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS), beta-hemolytic streptococci, and Streptococcus pneumoniae (99.3% susceptible), with MIC₉₀ values of 0.25, 0.12, ≤0.06, and 0.5 μg/ml, respectively. Ceftobiprole was active against methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) (98.3% susceptible) and methicillin-resistant CoNS, having a MIC₉₀ of 2 μg/ml. Ceftobiprole was active against Enterococcus faecalis (MIC_50/90, 0.5/4 μg/ml) but not against most Enterococcus faecium isolates. Ceftobiprole was very potent against the majority of Enterobacteriaceae (87.3% susceptible), with >80% inhibited at ≤0.12 μg/ml. The potency of ceftobiprole against Pseudomonas aeruginosa (MIC_50/90, 2/>8 μg/ml; 64.6% at MIC values of ≤4 μg/ml) was similar to that of ceftazidime (MIC_50/90, 2/>16 μg/ml; 75.4% susceptible), but limited activity was observed against Acinetobacter spp. and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia. High activity was also observed against all Haemophilus influenzae (MIC₉₀, ≤0.06 μg/ml) and Moraxella catarrhalis (MIC_50/90, ≤0.06/0.25 μg/ml) isolates. Ceftobiprole demonstrated a wide spectrum of antimicrobial activity against this very large longitudinal sample of contemporary pathogens.     

Ceftazidime-Avibactam Activity Tested against Enterobacteriaceae Isolates from U.S. Hospitals (2011 to 2013) and Characterization of β-Lactamase-Producing Strains

Ceftazidime-avibactam (MIC_50/90, 0.12/0.25 μg/ml) inhibited 99.9% (20,698/20,709) of Enterobacteriaceae isolates at ≤8 μg/ml. This compound was active against resistant subsets, including ceftazidime-nonsusceptible Enterobacter cloacae (MIC_50/90, 0.25/0.5 μg/ml) and extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) phenotype isolates. An ESBL phenotype was noted among 12.4% (1,696/13,692 isolates from targeted species) of the isolates, including 776 Escherichia coli (12.0% for this species; MIC_50/90, 0.12/0.25 μg/ml), 721 Klebsiella pneumoniae (16.3%; MIC_50/90, 0.12/0.25 μg/ml), 119 Klebsiella oxytoca (10.3%; MIC_50/90, 0.06/0.25 μg/ml), and 80 Proteus mirabilis (4.9%; MIC_50/90, 0.06/0.12 μg/ml) isolates. The most common enzymes detected among ESBL phenotype isolates from 2013 (n = 743) screened using a microarray-based assay were CTX-M-15-like (n = 307), KPC (n = 120), SHV ESBLs (n = 118), and CTX-M-14-like (n = 110). KPC producers were highly resistant to comparators, and ceftazidime-avibactam (MIC_50/90, 0.5/2 μg/ml) and tigecycline (MIC_50/90, 0.5/1 μg/ml; 98.3% susceptible) were the most active agents against these strains. Meropenem (MIC_50/90, ≤0.06/≤0.06 μg/ml) and ceftazidime-avibactam (MIC_50/90, 0.12/0.25 μg/ml) were active against CTX-M-producing isolates. Other enzymes were also observed, and ceftazidime-avibactam displayed good activity against the isolates producing less common enzymes. Among 11 isolates displaying ceftazidime-avibactam MIC values of >8 μg/ml, three were K. pneumoniae strains producing metallo-β-lactamases (all ceftazidime-avibactam MICs, >32 μg/ml), with two NDM-1 producers and one K. pneumoniae strain carrying the bla_KPC-2 and bla_VIM-4 genes. Therapeutic options for isolates producing β-lactamases may be limited, and ceftazidime-avibactam, which displayed good activity against strains, including those producing KPC enzymes, merits further study in infections where such organisms occur.     

In Vitro Activities of Cefminox against Anaerobic Bacteria Compared with Those of Nine Other Compounds

The agar dilution MIC method was used to test the activity of cefminox, a β-lactamase-stable cephamycin, compared with those of cefoxitin, cefotetan, moxalactam, ceftizoxime, cefotiam, cefamandole, cefoperazone, clindamycin, and metronidazole against 357 anaerobes. Overall, cefminox was the most active β-lactam, with an MIC at which 50% of isolates are inhibited (MIC₅₀) of 1.0 μg/ml and an MIC₉₀ of 16.0 μg/ml. Other β-lactams were less active, with respective MIC₅₀s and MIC₉₀s of 2.0 and 64.0 μg/ml for cefoxitin, 2.0 and 128.0 μg/ml for cefotetan, 2.0 and 64.0 μg/ml for moxalactam, 4.0 and >128.0 μg/ml for ceftizoxime, 16.0 and >128.0 μg/ml for cefotiam, 8.0 and >128.0 μg/ml for cefamandole, and 4.0 and 128.0 μg/ml for cefoperazone. The clindamycin MIC₅₀ and MIC₉₀ were 0.5 and 8.0 μg/ml, respectively, and the metronidazole MIC₅₀ and MIC₉₀ were 1.0 and 4.0 μg/ml, respectively. Cefminox was especially active against Bacteroides fragilis (MIC₉₀, 2.0 μg/ml), Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron (MIC₉₀, 4.0 μg/ml), fusobacteria (MIC₉₀, 1.0 μg/ml), peptostreptococci (MIC₉₀, 2.0 μg/ml), and clostridia, including Clostridium difficile (MIC₉₀, 2.0 μg/ml). Time-kill studies performed with six representative anaerobic species revealed that at the MIC all compounds except ceftizoxime were bactericidal (99.9% killing) against all strains after 48 h. At 24 h, only cefminox and cefoxitin at 4× the MIC and cefoperazone at 8× the MIC were bactericidal against all strains. After 12 h, at the MIC all compounds except moxalactam, ceftizoxime, cefotiam, cefamandole, clindamycin, and metronidazole gave 90% killing of all strains. After 3 h, cefminox at 2× the MIC produced the most rapid effect, with 90% killing of all strains.     

Update on Linezolid In Vitro Activity through the Zyvox Annual Appraisal of Potency and Spectrum Program, 2013

Linezolid showed MIC₅₀s and MIC₉₀s of 1 μg/ml (for both) against Staphylococcus aureus. Two S. aureus strains exhibited higher MICs (4 to 8 μg/ml) caused by cfr and/or target site mutations, including the first detection of cfr in Poland. Linezolid (MIC₅₀ and MIC₉₀, 0.5 and 1 μg/ml) had potent MICs against coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS). Four CoNS had MICs of 16 to 128 μg/ml due to alterations in 23S rRNA and/or L3/L4. Linezolid inhibited all enterococci and streptococci at ≤2 μg/ml, except for one Enterococcus faecium strain (MIC, 8 μg/ml; G2576T [Escherichia coli numbering] mutation).     

In Vitro Activities of Quinupristin-Dalfopristin and the Streptogramin RPR 106972 against Mycoplasma pneumoniae

The in vitro activities of quinupristin-dalfopristin and streptogramin RPR 106972 were determined with 44 strains of Mycoplasma pneumoniae and compared to those of macrolides, minocycline, and quinolones. All isolates tested were highly susceptible to macrolides and to quinupristin-dalfopristin (MIC at which 90% of the isolates are inhibited [MIC₉₀], 0.0625 μg/ml), followed by RPR 106972 (MIC₉₀, 0.5 μg/ml), quinolones, and minocycline.     

Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing of 59 Strains of Campylobacter fetus subsp. fetus

The susceptibilities of 59 Campylobacter fetus subsp. fetus isolates to eight antibiotics were studied by the agar dilution, E-test, and disk diffusion methods. None of the isolates were β-lactamase producers. All were susceptible to ampicillin, gentamicin, imipenem, and meropenem as determined by the three methods, with MICs at which 90% of the isolates are inhibited (MIC₉₀s) (determined by agar dilution) of 2, 1, ≤0.06, and 0.12 μg/ml, respectively. Twenty-seven percent of the isolates were resistant to tetracycline, with complete agreement between the agar dilution and disk diffusion results. The MIC₉₀s determined by agar dilution were 2 μg/ml for erythromycin, 1 μg/ml for ciprofloxacin, and 8 μg/ml for cefotaxime.     

In Vitro Activity of Ceftolozane-Tazobactam against Pseudomonas aeruginosa Isolates Obtained from Patients in Canadian Hospitals in the CANWARD Study, 2007 to 2012

The in vitro activity of ceftolozane in combination with tazobactam (fixed concentration of 4 μg/ml) was evaluated against 2,435 Pseudomonas aeruginosa clinical isolates obtained from across Canada using Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute broth microdilution methods. The MIC₅₀ and MIC₉₀ values for ceftolozane-tazobactam were 0.5 μg/ml and 1 μg/ml, respectively (a 32-fold-lower MIC₉₀ than that for ceftazidime). Eighty-nine percent (141/158) of multidrug-resistant isolates were inhibited by ≤8 μg/ml of ceftolozane-tazobactam.     

In Vitro Activities of Six New Fluoroquinolones against Brucella melitensis

We have tested the in vitro activities of eight fluoroquinolones against 160 Brucella melitensis strains. The most active was sitafloxacin (MIC at which 90% of the isolates are inhibited [MIC₉₀], 0.12 μg/ml). In decreasing order, the activities (MIC₉₀s) of the rest of the tested fluoroquinolones were as follows: levofloxacin, 0.5 μg/ml; ciprofloxacin, trovafloxacin, and moxifloxacin, 1 μg/ml; and ofloxacin, grepafloxacin, and gatifloxacin, 2 μg/ml.     

In Vitro Activity of RX-P873 against Enterobacteriaceae,Pseudomonas aeruginosa,and Acinetobacter baumannii

RX-P873 is a novel antibiotic from the pyrrolocytosine series which exhibits high binding affinity for the bacterial ribosome and broad-spectrum antibiotic properties. The pyrrolocytosines have shown in vitro activity against multidrug-resistant Gram-negative and Gram-positive strains of bacteria known to cause complicated urinary tract, skin, and lung infections, as well as sepsis. Enterobacteriaceae (657), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (200), and Acinetobacter baumannii (202) isolates from North America and Europe collected in 2012 as part of a worldwide surveillance program were tested in vitro by broth microdilution using Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) methodology. RX-P873 (MIC₉₀, 0.5 μg/ml) was >32-fold more active than ceftazidime and inhibited 97.1% and 99.5% of Enterobacteriaceae isolates at MIC values of ≤1 and ≤4 μg/ml, respectively. There were only three isolates with an MIC value of >4 μg/ml (all were indole-positive Protea). RX-P873 (MIC_50/90, 2/4 μg/ml) was highly active against Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates, including isolates which were nonsusceptible to ceftazidime or meropenem. RX-P873 was 2-fold less active against P. aeruginosa than tobramycin (MIC₉₀, 2 μg/ml; 91.0% susceptible) and colistin (MIC₉₀, 2 μg/ml; 99.5% susceptible) and 2-fold more potent than amikacin (MIC₉₀, 8 μg/ml; 93.5% susceptible) and meropenem (MIC₉₀, 8 μg/ml; 76.0% susceptible). RX-P873, the most active agent against Acinetobacter baumannii (MIC₉₀, 1 μg/ml), was 2-fold more active than colistin (MIC₉₀, 2 μg/ml; 97.0% susceptible) and 4-fold more active than tigecycline (MIC₉₀, 4 μg/ml). This novel agent merits further exploration of its potential against multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria.     

Antimicrobial Activity of Ceftaroline Tested against Staphylococci with Reduced Susceptibility to Linezolid,Daptomycin, or Vancomycin from U.S. Hospitals, 2008 to 2011

Vancomycin, linezolid, and daptomycin are very active against staphylococci, but isolates with decreased susceptibility to these antimicrobial agents are isolated sporadically. A total of 19,350 Staphylococcus aureus isolates (51% methicillin resistant [MRSA]) and 3,270 coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) were collected consecutively from 82 U.S. medical centers from January 2008 to December 2011 and tested for susceptibility against ceftaroline and comparator agents by the reference broth microdilution method. Among S. aureus strains, 14 isolates (0.07%) exhibited decreased susceptibility to linezolid (MIC, ≥8 μg/ml), 18 (0.09%) to daptomycin (MIC, ≥2 μg/ml), and 369 (1.9%) to vancomycin (MIC, ≥2 μg/ml; 368 isolates at 2 μg/ml and 1 at 4 μg/ml). Fifty-one (1.6%) CoNS were linezolid resistant (MIC, ≥8 μg/ml), and four (0.12%) were daptomycin nonsusceptible (MIC, ≥2 μg/ml). Ceftaroline was very active against S. aureus overall (MIC_50/90, 0.5/1 μg/ml; 98.5% susceptible), including MRSA (MIC_50/90, 0.5/1 μg/ml; 97.2% susceptible). All daptomycin-nonsusceptible and 85.7% of linezolid-resistant S. aureus isolates were susceptible to ceftaroline. Against S. aureus isolates with a vancomycin MIC of ≥2 μg/ml, 91.9, 96.2, and 98.9% were susceptible to ceftaroline, daptomycin, and linezolid, respectively. CoNS strains were susceptible to ceftaroline (MIC_50/90, 0.25/0.5 μg/ml; 99.1% inhibited at ≤1 μg/ml), including methicillin-resistant (MIC_50/90, 0.25/0.5 μg/ml), linezolid-resistant (MIC_50/90, 0.5/0.5 μg/ml), and daptomycin-nonsusceptible (4 isolates; MIC range, 0.03 to 0.12 μg/ml) strains. In conclusion, ceftaroline demonstrated potent in vitro activity against staphylococci with reduced susceptibility to linezolid, daptomycin, or vancomycin, and it may represent a valuable treatment option for infections caused by these multidrug-resistant staphylococci.     

Dalbavancin Activity When Tested against Streptococcus pneumoniae Isolated in Medical Centers on Six Continents (2011 to 2014)

Dalbavancin, a novel lipoglycopeptide, was approved for use in 2014 by regulatory agencies in the United States and Europe for the treatment of skin and skin structure infections. The activity of dalbavancin was also widely assessed by determination of its activity against Streptococcus pneumoniae clinical isolates collected from patients on six continents monitored during two time intervals (2011 to 2013 and 2014). A total of 18,186 pneumococcal isolates were obtained from 49 nations and submitted to a monitoring laboratory as part of the SENTRY Antimicrobial Surveillance Program for reference susceptibility testing. The potency of dalbavancin against S. pneumoniae was consistent across the years that it was monitored, with the MIC₅₀ and MIC₉₀ being 0.015 and 0.03 μg/ml, respectively, and all isolates were inhibited by ≤0.12 μg/ml. The activity of dalbavancin was not adversely influenced by nonsusceptibility to β-lactams (ceftriaxone or penicillin), macrolides, clindamycin, fluoroquinolones, or tetracyclines or multidrug resistance (MDR). Regional variations in dalbavancin activity were not detected, but S. pneumoniae strains isolated in the Asia-Pacific region were more likely to be nonsusceptible to penicillin and ceftriaxone as well as to be MDR than strains isolated in North or South America and Europe. Direct comparisons of potency illustrated that dalbavancin (MIC₅₀ and MIC₉₀, 0.015 and 0.03 μg/ml, respectively) was 16-fold or more active than vancomycin (MIC₅₀, 0.25 μg/ml), linezolid (MIC₅₀, 1 μg/ml), levofloxacin (MIC₅₀, 1 μg/ml), ceftriaxone (MIC₉₀, 1 μg/ml), and penicillin (MIC₉₀, 2 μg/ml). In conclusion, dalbavancin had potent and consistent activity against this contemporary (2011 to 2014) collection of S. pneumoniae isolates.     

In Vitro Activity of Biapenem plus RPX7009, a Carbapenem Combined with a Serine β-Lactamase Inhibitor,against Anaerobic Bacteria

Biapenem is a carbapenem being developed in combination with RPX7009, a new inhibitor of serine β-lactamases. Biapenem was tested alone and in combination with fixed concentrations of RPX7009 by agar dilution against 377 recent isolates of anaerobes. A separate panel of 27 isolates of Bacteroides spp. with decreased susceptibility or resistance to imipenem was also tested. Comparator drugs included meropenem, piperacillin-tazobactam, ampicillin-sulbactam, cefoxitin, ceftazidime, metronidazole, clindamycin, and tigecycline plus imipenem, doripenem, and ertapenem for the 27 selected strains. For recent consecutive strains of Bacteroides species, the MIC₉₀ for biapenem-RPX7009 was 1 μg/ml, with a MIC₉₀ of 4 μg/ml for meropenem. Other Bacteroides fragilis group species showed a MIC₉₀ of 0.5 μg/ml for both agents. The MIC₉₀s for biapenem-RPX7009 were 0.25 μg/ml for Prevotella spp., 0.125 μg/ml for Fusobacterium nucleatum and Fusobacterium necrophorum, 2 μg/ml for Fusobacterium mortiferum, 0.5 μg/ml for Fusobacterium varium, ≤0.5 μg/ml for Gram-positive cocci and rods, and 0.03 to 8 μg/ml for clostridia. Against 5 B. fragilis strains harboring a known metallo-beta-lactamase, biapenem-RPX7009 MICs were comparable to those of other carbapenems (≥32 μg/ml). Against Bacteroides strains with an imipenem MIC of 2 μg/ml, biapenem-RPX7009 had MICs of 0.5 to 2 μg/ml, with MICs of 0.5 to 32 μg/ml for meropenem, doripenem, and ertapenem. For strains with an imipenem MIC of 4 μg/ml, the MICs for biapenem-RPX7009 were 4 to 16 μg/ml, with MICs of 8 to >32 μg/ml for meropenem, doripenem, and ertapenem. The inhibitor RPX7009 had no antimicrobial activity when tested alone, and it showed little or no potentiation of biapenem versus anaerobes. Biapenem-RPX7009 showed activity comparable to that of imipenem and was superior to meropenem, doripenem, and ertapenem against imipenem-nonsusceptible Bacteroides spp.     

In Vitro Activity of Aztreonam-Avibactam against a Global Collection of Gram-Negative Pathogens from 2012 and 2013

The combination of aztreonam plus avibactam is being developed for use in infections caused by metallo-β-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae strains that also produce serine β-lactamases. The in vitro activities of aztreonam-avibactam and comparator antimicrobials were determined against year 2012 and 2013 clinical isolates of Enterobacteriaceae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Acinetobacter baumannii using the broth microdilution methodology recommended by the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI). A total of 28,501 unique clinical isolates were obtained from patients in 190 medical centers within 39 countries. MIC₉₀ values of aztreonam and aztreonam-avibactam against all collected isolates of Enterobacteriaceae (n = 23,516) were 64 and 0.12 μg/ml, respectively, with 76.2% of the isolates inhibited by ≤4 μg/ml of aztreonam (the CLSI breakpoint) and 99.9% of the isolates inhibited by ≤4 μg/ml of aztreonam-avibactam using a fixed concentration of 4 μg/ml of avibactam. The MIC₉₀ was 32 μg/ml for both aztreonam and aztreonam-avibactam against P. aeruginosa (n = 3,766). Aztreonam alone or in combination with avibactam had no in vitro activity against isolates of A. baumannii. PCR and sequencing were used to characterize 5,076 isolates for β-lactamase genes. Aztreonam was not active against most Enterobacteriaceae isolates producing class A or class C enzymes alone or in combination with class B metallo-β-lactamases. In contrast, >99% of Enterobacteriaceae isolates producing all observed Ambler classes of β-lactamase enzymes were inhibited by ≤4 μg/ml aztreonam in combination with avibactam, including isolates that produced IMP-, VIM-, and NDM-type metallo-β-lactamases in combination with multiple serine β-lactamases.