Distribution and changes in the susceptibility of bacteria isolated from clinical samples. III

This report presents data concerning in vitro activity of antimicrobial agents against Citrobacter freundii, Enterobacter spp., Serratia marcescens and Proteus vulgaris isolated from patients with complicated urinary tract infections and against Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from surgical wounds with postoperative infection and exudate from superficial abscesses. There was a marked increase of resistant strains of C. freundii, Enterobacter spp. and S. marcescens to penicillins, CEPs or GM. The isolates of these species obtained in 1983 showed MIC values of 100 micrograms/ml or more for the so-called new CEPs (CTX, CMX, CZX, LMOX and CPZ). The P. vulgaris isolates exhibited an increasing incidence of strains resistant to penicillins, and data on P. vulgaris isolates in 1983 indicated increase of strains resistant to CEPs. GM-resistant organisms were also noted to be increasing among the isolate of this species. The analysis did not reveal any appreciable change with calendar years among P. aeruginosa in respect of frequency of strains resistant to SBPC or CEPs (except CPZ). The data obtained in 1983, however, showed an indication of increasing incidence of organisms resistant to CPZ and GM. The increasing tendency of emergence of organisms resistant to new CEPs designed to expand activity against C. freundii, Enterobacter spp., S. marcescens and P. vulgaris, observed among the isolates of these species is considered probably to be the consequence of bacterial selective acquisition of R plasmid that carry drug resistant genes against CEPs. These are exactly reflected in the present data obtained in studies initiated in 1981 when the new CEPs became commonly prescribed in the daily clinics. It is concluded, accordingly, that organisms of these species resistant to CEPs have been increasing throughout the country.     

Combined effect of sulbactam/cefoperazone and other antibiotics against clinical isolates of multi-resistant strains. I. Effect of sulbactam against beta-lactams resistant strains and in vitro combined effect of sulbactam/cefoperazone with each of piperacillin, latamoxef, ceftazidime, fosfomycin and doxycycline

We evaluated relationships between production of beta-lactamase and their resistances to beta-lactams, effect of sulbactam (SBT), a beta-lactamase inhibitor, against beta-lactam resistant strains, and combined effect of sulbactam/cefoperazone (SBT/CPZ) with other antibiotics against multi-resistant strains. Through these studies, we obtained the following results. 1. Most of the strains resistant to beta-lactams were beta-lactamase producers. 2. Relationships between the production of beta-lactamase and their resistances to beta-lactams indicate that their resistances generally were the highest in producers of both penicillinase (PCase) and cephalosporinase (CEPase), moderate in producers of either PCase or CEPase, and the lowest in beta-lactamase non-producers. Most of highly-resistant strains of MRSA appeared to be beta-lactamase non-producers though some exceptions were observed among methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Serratia marcescens and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. 3. SBT showed good effect against PCase producers, moderate effect against producers of both PCase and CEPase, little effect against CEPase producers, and no effect against beta-lactamase non-producers. 4. Results of combined effect of SBT/CPZ with other antibiotics indicated that good synergism was obtained by combining SBT/CPZ with fosfomycin (FOM) or piperacillin against multi-resistant strains of Proteus spp., Enterobacter cloacae, and S. marcescens, by combining SBT/CPZ with ceftazidime (CAZ) or FOM in methicillin-sensitive S. aureus and by combining SBT/CPZ with CAZ in P. aeruginosa. 5. Better synergism was obtained with the higher concentrations of antibiotics.     

Synergy between sulbactam and ampicillin or cefoperazone in antimicrobial activity against beta-lactamase producing microorganisms. Results with the use of microdilution broth method

Antimicrobial activities of sulbactam (SBT) with ampicillin (ABPC) or with cefoperazone (CPZ), in other words, the effects of SBT, an beta-lactamase inhibitor, against beta-lactamase producing strains of clinical isolates, were studied using microdilution broth method. 1. beta-Lactamase producing strains such as Staphylococcus aureus, Branhamella catarrhalis, Haemophilus influenzae, Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae decompose benzylpenicillin (PCG) which is one of substrates of the acid-metry disc method and show a strong reaction, while they do not decompose cefazolin (CEZ), another substrate, showing no or weak reaction. Thus, it is suspected that beta-lactamases produced by these organisms are mainly penicillinase (PCase). MIC-distributions of ABPC and CPZ against these clinical isolates which seemed to produce PCase shifted to lower MIC ranges with MIC's reduced to 1/4 or below when 0.025 to 0.39 microgram/ml of SBT was added. 2. It appears that beta-lactamase produced by Proteus vulgaris may be oxyiminocephalosporinase (CXase), because P. vulgaris showed strong reaction on CEZ, but moderate reaction on PCG in the acid-metry disc method. MIC-distribution of ABPC and CPZ against P. vulgaris shifted to a lower range with MIC's of 1/4 or below when 0.20 to 0.39 microgram/ml of SBT was added. 3. All the test strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa showed strong reaction on CEZ but only 56% of the test strains showed reaction on PCG. It appears that the beta-lactamases which showed strong reaction on CEZ is cephalosporinase and is encoded in chromosome, while those beta-lactamase that showed strong reaction on PCG is encoded in a plasmid which was acquired secondarily by P. aeruginosa. MIC-distribution of CPZ against P. aeruginosa shifted to a lower range with MIC values of 1/2 or below with the addition of SBT at 1.56 micrograms/ml. 4. It appears that the synergy of SBT with ABPC or with CPZ against the PCase or CXase producing strains may occur in the presence of SBT at a concentration far less than that reported previously.     

In vitro antibacterial activity of various cephems against clinical isolates from complicated urinary tract infections

In vitro antibacterial activity of several cephems (CEZ as the first generation (group A); CTM and CMZ as the second generation (group B); CMX, CPZ, LMOX, CTX and CZX as the third generation (group C)) against 8 species, each of 54 strains, of Gram-negative clinical isolates from complicated urinary tract infection was compared by determination of the MICs. The following results were obtained: The most sensitive drugs against each species in MIC80; CTX (MIC80 0.20 microgram/ml) against E. coli, CMX (1.56 microgram/ml) against K. pneumoniae, LMOX (0.39 microgram/ml) against P. mirabilis, LMOX (0.78 microgram/ml) against Indole (+) Proteus, CMX and CPZ (50 micrograms/ml) against E. cloacae, CMX and LMOX (50 micrograms/ml) against C. freundii, CMX (3.13 micrograms/ml) against S. marcescens and CPZ (25 micrograms/ml) against P. aeruginosa The most sensitive drugs against each species in MICS100; CMX (MIC100 3.13 micrograms/ml) against E. coli, CMX (6.25 micrograms/ml) against K. pneumoniae, CTX (0.78 microgram/ml) against P. mirabilis, LMOX (1.56 microgram/ml) against Indole (+) Proteus, CPZ (100 micrograms/ml) against E. cloacae, CMX (100 micrograms/ml) against C. freundii, CMX (12.5 microgram/ml) against S. marcescens and CPZ (50 micrograms/ml) against P. aeruginosa. In each species, the group C were most sensitive followed by those of the group B. Many isolates were highly resistant to the group A (especially in C. freundii, S. marcescens and P. aeruginosa).     

Antibacterial activities of new cephems against clinically isolated organisms (author's transl)

The antibacterial activities of cefotaxime (CTX), cefoperazone (CPZ), ceftizoxime (CZX), cefmenoxime (CMX), latamoxef (LMOX), cefotiam (CTM), cefazolin (CEZ), gentamicin (GM) and cefsulodin (CFS) were investigated. All causative organisms were isolated from patients with urinary tract infections treated in Tokai University Hospital. The results were as follows. 1) The MICs of CMX, CTX, and CZX against most of clinically isolated strains of E. coli, K. pneumoniae, Indole (-) Proteus sp. were 0.1 microgram/ml and lower. And then CTM, LMOX and CPZ showed similar antibacterial activities. 2) LMOX and GM showed potent antibacterial activities against C. freundii which was considered to be causative organisms of infections in rare cases. 3) Against S. marcescens, CMX, CTX, CZX, and LMOX showed very potent antibacterial activities. 4) Against P. aeruginosa, CFS, GM and CPZ showed moderate antibacterial activities. 5) Against Enterobacter sp., GM and CMX showed potent antibacterial activities.     

Distribution and changes in the susceptibility of bacteria isolated from clinical samples. II

In vitro activity of antimicrobial agents such as ABPC, SBPC, MPC, CEZ, CTM, CMZ, CTX, CMX, CZX, LMOX, CPZ, CFS and GM against major clinical isolates, S. aureus, S. pyogenes, E. coli, K. pneumoniae, P. mirabilis, C. freundii, Enterobacter spp., S. marcescens, P. vulgaris and P. aeruginosa, was examined. In this paper, we will report the susceptibility of S. aureus, S. pyogenes, E. coli, K. pneumoniae and P. mirabilis during a three-year period, 1981 to approximately 1983. CEZ- and GM-resistant S. aureus has markedly increased and occupied 24% and 18%, respectively, in 1983. CMZ and CFS have showed potent activity against CEZ-resistant S. aureus. It seems that the abuse of third generation-cephems and new oral cephalosporins is closely related with the increase of cephems-resistant S. aureus. The penicillin- and cephem-resistant strains of S. pyogenes could not be found in our study. Quite a few strains of E. coli, K. pneumoniae and P. mirabilis are resistant to penicillins, and also there is no appreciable change in susceptibility. Some strains of E. coli, K. pneumoniae and P. mirabilis showed low susceptibility to CPZ, but all strains showed high susceptibility and no change in susceptibility to third generations, and these strains showed no tendency to decrease in susceptibility to GM.     

Antibacterial activities of monobactams against fresh clinical isolates

Antibacterial activities of monobactam antibiotics (carumonam (CRMN) and aztreonam (AZT] against Gram-negative bacilli isolated from inpatients in the latter half of 1987 were investigated using penicillin (PC: piperacillin (PIPC], cephems (CEPs: ceftazidime (CAZ), cefotaxime (CTX), latamoxef (LMOX), cefsulodin (CFS], carbapenem (imipenem (IPM] and pyridonecarboxylic acids (norfloxacin (NFLX) and ofloxacin (OFLX] as reference antibiotics. A total of 400 strains of 13 species, i.e. Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Klebsiella oxytoca, Proteus mirabilis, Proteus vulgaris, Morganella morganii, Providencia rettgeri, Citrobacter freundii, Enterobacter cloacae, Enterobacter aerogenes, Serratia marcescens, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Haemophilus influenzae, were used as test strains. 1. CRMN and AZT, both monobactam antibiotics, were roughly comparable in their activities and no resistant strain to these antibiotics were found among isolates of E. coli, Klebsiella spp., Proteus spp., M. morganii, P. rettgeri or H. influenzae and few resistant strains were observed among isolates of S. marcescens. On the other hand, isolates of C. freundii, Enterobacter spp. and P. aeruginosa included rather numerous strains resistant to the monobactam antibiotics. Among these cases, whereas R strains, i.e. resistant strains showing MICs greater than or equal to 50 micrograms/ml, accounted for a large proportion of strains resistant to PC and CEPs, I strains, i.e. intermediately resistant strains showing MICs between 12.5 and 25 micrograms/ml, accounted for a large proportion of strains resistant to the monobactam antibiotics. 2. Strains resistant to PIPC, a PC, were detected with high and more or less uniform frequencies over the entire spectrum of the isolates examined. 3. Antibacterial activities of CEPs varied against different bacterial species. While strains resistant to CTX, CAZ and LMOX were commonly detected with high frequencies among isolates of C. freundii, Enterobacter spp. and S. marcescens, large percentages of LMOX-resistant strains of C. freundii and Enterobacter spp. were of the I type. CTX-resistant strains were also found among isolates of P. vulgaris and M. morganii. Proportions of CEP-resistant strains of P. aeruginosa were 28% for CFS and 12% for CAZ. 4. No or few strains among the isolates of 13 species investigated were resistant to IPM, a carbapenem antibiotic, which showed the most stable antibacterial activity, but it was less active than monobactam antibiotics and CEPs against Klebsiella spp., P. mirabilis and H. influenzae.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

The antibacterial activity of new cephem antibiotics against clinical isolates. A comparison of the antibacterial activity of cefotaxime with 6 other antibiotics

During the period from May through July 1981, a comparative study was carried out on the antibacterial activities of cefotaxime (CTX) and ceftizoxime (CZX), cefoperazone (CPZ), latamoxef (LMOX), cefotiam (CTM), cefmetazole (CMZ) and cefazolin (CEZ). CTX and these other cephem antibiotics were tested against fresh clinical isolates which had been obtained from clinical materials by the laboratories of 14 participating medical institutions. 1. The clinical isolates were obtained from various clinical materials in the following decreasing order: urine, sputum and pus/discharge; 85.7% of the isolates came from these materials. 2. Concerning the sources of each species of clinical isolates, it was found that P. aeruginosa was isolated from the greatest number -9- of different clinical materials. This was followed by E. coli and E. cloacae, each isolated from 8 different clinical materials, and C. freundii and E. aerogenes, each found in 7 different clinical materials. 3. In relation to S. pyogenes, S. agalactiae and S. pneumoniae, CTX showed the best antibacterial activity; the second most potent antibiotic was CZX. CMZ and LMOX were found to show relatively high MIC values for those species. Against S. aureus, CEZ showed the best antibacterial activity, but 3 resistant strains had MICs of greater than 100 micrograms/ml. 4. With regard to Gram-negative bacteria, CTX and CZX showed the best antibacterial activities for all of the species, except for P. aeruginosa. These were followed, in order, by LMOX and CPZ. Compared with these 4 antibiotics, CTM, CMZ and CEZ were found to have inferior antibacterial activities against these bacteria. In relation to P. aeruginosa, the peak of the MIC distribution for CPZ was 6.25 micrograms/ml, and this was the best antibacterial activity detected with the various antibiotics tested. This was followed by CTX (25 micrograms/ml) LMOX (25 micrograms/ml) and CZX (50 micrograms/ml). CTM had an MIC of 100 micrograms/ml for 1 strain, and MICs of greater than 100 micrograms/ml for all of the other strains of P. aeruginosa, indicating them to be resistant to this antibiotic. All of the strains were resistant to CMZ and CEZ, showing MICs of greater than 100 micrograms/ml. 5. For each of the tested antibiotics, no correlation was found between the MIC and the serogroup for either P. aeruginosa or S. marcescens.     

Clinical laboratory approach for estimating effective administrative dose of sulbactam/cefoperazone

Sulbactam/cefoperazone (SBT/CPZ) is a preparation containing CPZ and SBT, an inhibitor of beta-lactamases, at the ratio 1:1. The reliability of the SBT/CPZ disc susceptibility test in estimating approximate values of MICs and the utilization of the test in the evaluation of proper administrative doses were studied using 365 strains of clinical isolates. The antimicrobial activity of SBT/CPZ was stronger than that of CPZ alone. This increase in the antimicrobial activity due to the addition of SBT was well observed in the disc diffusion susceptibility test and MIC values. The MIC80 of SBT/CPZ against Staphylococcus aureus was 12.5 micrograms/ml, while that of CPZ alone was 50 micrograms/ml. MIC80s of SBT/CPZ against Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Serratia marcescens and Enterobacter aerogenes were smaller than those of CPZ, and were 0.20, 12.5, 25 and 3.13 micrograms/ml, respectively. However, MIC80s of SBT/CPZ against Staphylococcus epidermidis, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Proteus mirabilis and Proteus vulgaris were not changed compared to those of CPZ alone, and MIC80s were 6.25, 0.20, 0.78, and 0.78 micrograms/ml, respectively. The reliability of the SBT/CPZ disc diffusion susceptibility test in the quantitative estimation of antimicrobial activities was well demonstrated using commercialized 8 mm diameter discs (Showa) and 6 mm diameter discs prepared in this laboratory, both of which contained 30 micrograms of CPZ and 30 micrograms of SBT. These disc susceptibility test results were well correlated with MICs, hence the SBT/CPZ disc susceptibility test should be useful for the estimation of approximate MIC values. To interpret results of the Showa SBT/CPZ disc test, the following 4 category classification was used: (?) MIC less than or equal to 3 micrograms/ml, (? 3 micrograms/ml less than MIC less than or equal to 15 micrograms/ml, (?15 micrograms/ml less than MIC less than or equal to 60 micrograms/ml, (-) MIC greater than 60 micrograms/ml. In both 6 and 8 mm diameter disc tests, when uniform break points of inhibitory zone diameter were similarly applied to all strains isolated clinically, some strains of S. aureus, E. faecalis, and P. aeruginosa, brought false positive (susceptible) results showing slightly greater inhibitory zone diameters compared to MICs. However, if different break points against P. aeruginosa as indicated in this study were applied and E. faecalis was excluded from the test, excellent results were obtained in the quantitative estimation of MICs. Antimicrobial activities of antibiotic agents have been reported to be reduced by serum protein binding.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Comparative studies on activities of antimicrobial agents against causative organisms isolated from urinary tract infections (1985). III. Secular changes in susceptibility

Sensitivities to antimicrobial agents of Escherichia coli, Klebsiella spp., Citrobacter spp., Enterobacter spp., Proteus spp., Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Serratia marcescens isolated from infected patients were evaluated and compared according to the types of their infections, i.e., simple and complicated urinary tract infections with or without indwelling catheter. There were no apparent decreases in the sensitivity of E. coli isolated from patients with simple urinary tract infections. When data obtained in 1982-1985 were summarized, it was found that a new quinoline derivative, ofloxacin (OFLX), showed the strongest activity among oral antimicrobial and antibiotic agents. This agent inhibited 100% of bacterial growth at MIC of 1.56 micrograms/ml. The next strongest activity was found with mecillinam (MPC) which showed 89.3% growth inhibition at the same concentration. Cefaclor (CCL) also showed 84.9% growth inhibition at the same concentration. When sensitivities of E. coli isolated from patients with complicated urinary tract infections with or without indwelling catheter to first and second generation cephems were determined, cefotiam (CTM), which inhibited 88.9%: 91.4% bacterial growth at MIC of 0.39 micrograms/ml, had the strongest activity among CTM, cefazolin (CEZ), cefoxitin (CFX) and cefmetazole (CMZ). Among third generation cephems, including cefmenoxime (CMX), latamoxef (LMOX), ceftizoxime (CZX), cefotaxime (CTX) and cefoperazone (CPZ), the strongest activity was observed with CZX, and the agent having the next strongest activity was CMX. LMOX and CPZ showed relatively low activities. Carumonam (CRMN) and aztreonam (AZT), monobactams, showed strong activities against E. coli. As for Klebsiella spp., activities of pencillins against these strains were low. When activities of oral cephems (cephalexin (CEX) and CCL) and of a quinoline derivative OFLX against these strains were determined, OFLX showed strong activity; i.e., the growth of Klebsiella spp. isolated from complicated urinary tract infections was inhibited at 87.2%: 82.1% at MIC of 0.20 micrograms/ml.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

Effects of sulbactam on the activity of cefoperazone against various clinical isolates

Sulbactam/Cefoperazone (SBT/CPZ) have been used in clinical infusion at ratios of 1:1 and 1:2 in Japan and U.S.A., respectively. After an administration of these drugs as a 1:1 parenteral formulation, the ratio of levels of CPZ and SBT in blood was 1:1/4 to 1:1/5 for 1 to 2 hours, whereas the ratio of free, unbound drug levels was 1:1.4 to 1:1.5. In urine these drugs were excreted at a ratio between 1:1 and 1:4 during 6 hours after the infusion. Antimicrobial interaction studies using various combinations of CPZ and SBT were performed to obtain information with respect to the effect of SBT on the antimicrobial activity of CPZ in vivo and the most appropriate ratio of these drugs for the in vitro test system. Antimicrobial activities were determined using the agar dilution method and the disk diffusion susceptibility test. SBT increased the activity of CPZ against various clinical isolates tested except Enterococcus faecalis. CPZ-SBT at a fixed ratio of 1:1/5 significantly increased the antimicrobial activity of CPZ, resulting in decreases in MIC values and increases in disk inhibitory zone diameters. These drugs at ratios 1:1 to 1:3 maximized the synergistic enhancement of the activity. Therefore, a fixed ratio between 1:1/5 and 1:1 would be appropriate for the in vitro antimicrobial test system using either the agar dilution method or the disk susceptibility test. Based on pharmacokinetic data for CPZ and SBT, results of the present study on antimicrobial activity would support that the parenteral formulation of CPZ-SBT at the fixed ratios of 1:1 and 2:1 for the intravenous infusion used in Japan and U.S.A., respectively, are appropriate. The effect of SBT on the activity of CPZ was more marked against clinical isolates with greater production abilities of beta-lactamase than against those with less production abilities. SBT/CPZ, however, exerted a synergistic effect against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus without beta-lactamase production. The MIC80 of SBT/CPZ (1:1) against various clinical isolates with 10(6) CFU/ml inoculum size were as follows: S. aureus 12.5 micrograms/ml, Staphylococcus epidermis 3.13 micrograms/ml, and E. faecalis 50 micrograms/ml. Those of Gram-negative bacilli were: Escherichia coli 0.20 microgram/ml, Klebsiella pneumoniae 0.20 micrograms/ml, Proteus mirabilis 0.78 microgram/ml, Proteus vulgaris 0.78 microgram/ml, Pseudomonas aeruginosa 12.5 micrograms/ml, Serratia marcescens 25 micrograms/ml, Enterobacter spp. 3.13 micrograms/ml, Citrobacter spp. 12.5 micrograms/ml and Acinetobacter spp. 0.78 microgram/ml.     

Susceptibilities of clinical bacterial isolates to antimicrobial agents. A study mainly focused on imipenem. Research Group for Testing Imipenem Susceptibility on Clinical Isolates

We investigated susceptibilities of clinical bacterial isolates to imipenem (IPM) and other antimicrobial agents at 459 hospital laboratories throughout Japan from September to December of 1988. In this study, identification and susceptibility testing were performed at each hospital laboratory and the tests were carried out according to the 1-dilution or 3-dilution disc technique in which susceptibilities are classified into 4 grades: , ++, + and -. IPM had significantly high activity against Streptococcus pneumoniae, Streptococcus pyogenes, Streptococcus agalactiae, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Klebsiella oxytoca, Enterobacter aerogenes, Enterobacter cloacae, Salmonella spp., Citrobacter freundii, Proteus mirabilis, Providencia rettgeri, Acinetobacter calcoaceticus, Moraxella catarrhalis, Alcaligenes spp., Peptococcus spp./Peptostreptococcus spp., Bacteroides fragilis and Bacteroides spp. and should slightly lower activities on coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS), Enterococcus faecalis, Haemophilus influenzae, Serratia marcescens, Proteus vulgaris, Providencia stuartii and Pseudomonas aeruginosa than on the above mentioned bacteria. In a comparative study on activities of IPM against bacteria from different clinical sources, no remarkable differences were found due to different sources among S. pneumoniae, E. faecalis, H. influenzae, E. coli, K. pneumoniae, E. cloacae, C. freundii, P. mirabilis or A. calcoaceticus, whereas slight differences were found among Staphylococcus aureus, CNS, S. marcescens and P. aeruginosa.     

Antimicrobial activities of gentamicin against fresh clinical isolates

Antimicrobial activities of gentamicin (GM), compared with activities of other aminoglycosides (AGs) and beta-lactam antibiotics, were studied against clinical isolates obtained during a period of July-December 1989. 1. GM-resistant strains were noted in 24% of Staphylococcus aureus, 12% of Enterobacter spp., 24% of Serratia marcescens, 7% of Morganella morganii and 26% of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, but no GM-resistant strains were observed among isolates of Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Proteus mirabilis and Proteus vulgaris. 2. A majority of GM-resistant strains of S. aureus were methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) and a large number of GM-resistant strains of Enterobacter spp. was also resistant to new quinolones. GM showed, however, strong antimicrobial activities against new quinolones-resistant strains of S. marcescens, M. morganii and P. aeruginosa. 3. Among all the isolates tested of S. marcescens, 24% were GM-resistant, 72% were tobramycin (TOB)-resistant, 86% were dibekacin (DKB)-resistant and 64% were amikacin (AMK)-resistant, hence the incidence of GM-resistant strains was the lowest. This tendency was also observed with P. vulgaris. However, among P. aeruginosa, 26% were GM-resistant, 14% TOB-resistant, 18% DKB-resistant and 22% AMK-resistant, thus the incidence rate for GM-resistance was somewhat higher. These results suggest that different AGs-modification enzymes were produced by various clinical isolates under the present condition. 4. Comparing the ratio of GM-resistant strains in the present study with those in 1980 and 1983, the ratio increased among S. aureus, while decreases were observed among Enterobacter spp., S. marcescens, P. vulgaris and P. aeruginosa, indicating that a unilateral tendency of increases in GM-resistant strains did not exist among clinical isolates over the years.     

Clinical laboratory approach for estimating the effective administrative dose of latamoxef. Significance of a 4-category system interpretation of the latamoxef disc susceptibility test

In vitro activities of latamoxef (LMOX) against 249 clinical isolates were determined using the agar dilution method at an inoculum level of 10(6) CFU/ml. LMOX was highly active against Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Proteus mirabilis (except 2 out of 30 strains) and Proteus vulgaris with MIC values below 3.13 micrograms/ml. It was also active against Enterobacter aerogenes with MIC80 of 1.56 micrograms/ml. LMOX was less active against Serratia marcescens, inhibiting about 43% of strains at a level of 6.25 micrograms/ml. It was also less active against Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis, showing MIC80 of 12.5 and 50 micrograms/ml, respectively. LMOX was not active against Enterococcus faecalis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The reliability of the LMOX disc diffusion susceptibility test for quantitative estimation of antimicrobial activities was also investigated using 8 mm diameter discs (Showa) and 6 mm diameter discs (Difco), both of which contained 30 micrograms/disc of LMOX. These disc susceptibility test results were well correlated with MICs, hence the LMOX disc susceptibility test should be useful for the estimation of proper dose levels of LMOX. For the interpretation of LMOX disc test results, if uniform break points of zone diameters were used to test all bacteria, inhibitory zone diameters of Showa discs used on Staphylococcus were relatively large compared to MICs determined, probably due to decarboxylation of LMOX sodium salt in the discs. However, those of Difco discs were not, because Difco discs use LMOX ammonium salt. Both discs also showed relatively large inhibitory zone diameters compared to MICs determined against P. aeruginosa. Using different break points from those used for other bacteria to interpret inhibition zones for Staphylococcus and P. aeruginosa, these disc susceptivility tests should be useful to estimate approximate MICs. A 3 category system for the interpretation of disc test results has been used in USA and Europe, but a 4 category system is generally used in Japan. The 3 category system uses break points to classify bacteria into 3 categories of susceptibility according to MIC values as follows: Resistant (R) MIC greater than or equal to 64 micrograms/ml, intermediate (I) MIC 16-32 micrograms/ml, and susceptible (S) MIC less than or equal to 8 micrograms/ml. The 4 category system uses break points as follows: MIC less than or equal to 3 micrograms/ml, MIC greater than 3-15 micrograms/ml, (+) MIC greater than 15-60 micrograms/ml, (-) MIC greater than 60 micrograms/ml.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

Susceptibilities of clinical bacterial isolates to antimicrobial agents. A study mainly focused on imipenem. Reported by the Research Group for Testing Imipenem Susceptibility on Clinical Isolates

This study was conducted to investigate susceptibilities of clinical bacterial isolates to imipenem (IPM) and other antibacterial agents at 64 hospital laboratories throughout Japan from September to December of 1988. In this study, identification and susceptibility testing were carried out at each laboratory and the tests were performed according to the disk dilution method recommended by NCCLS in which susceptibilities are classified into "S", "MS", "I" and "R". IPM showed markedly high in vitro activities against Streptococcus pneumoniae, Streptococcus pyogenes, Streptococcus agalactiae, Enterococcus faecalis, Haemophilus influenzae, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Klebsiella oxytoca, Enterobacter aerogenes, Enterobacter cloacae, Serratia marcescens, Salmonella spp., Citrobacter freundii, Proteus mirabilis, Proteus vulgaris, Morganella morganii, Providencia rettgeri, Providencia stuartii, Acinetobacter calcoaceticus, Moraxella (Branhamella) catarrhalis, Alcaligenes spp., Peptococcus spp./Peptostreptococcus spp., Bacteroides fragilis and Bacteroides spp. IPM also had strong activities against Achromobacter xylosoxidans and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, but less active against Flavobacterium spp., E. faecium, coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS), Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas cepacia. In a study in which activities of IPM against bacteria isolated from different clinical sources were compared, differences in susceptibilities were observed among S. aureus, CNS, A. calcoaceticus and P. aeruginosa, but such differences were not apparent among S. pneumoniae, E. faecalis, H. influenzae, E. coli, K. pneumoniae, E. cloacae, C. freundii, S. marcescens or P. mirabilis.     

Determination of the MIC of cefotetan against freshly isolated gram-negative bacilli

Antimicrobial activities (MICs) of cefotetan (CTT) against 575 strains of 16 spp. of Gram-negative bacilli isolated in 1988 were determined to investigate distribution of MICs in comparison with those of cefmetazole (CMZ), cefoxitin (CFX), latamoxef (LMOX) and cefazolin (CEZ). The change in frequencies of incidence of cephem-resistant strains in the latter half of the 1980 was also investigated. Distribution of MIC of CTT varied with test strains. No or very few MICs were at or higher than 12.5 micrograms/ml at an inoculation of 10(6) cfu/ml, thus rates of CTT-resistant strains were low among Escherichia coli, Citrobacter diversus, Klebsiella spp., Proteus spp., Providencia spp., and Haemophilus influenzae. High rates of resistance to CTT were observed, however, among Citrobacter freundii, Enterobacter spp., Serratia marcescens, Morganella morganii, and Bacteroides fragilis. 2. Most CTT-resistant strains of C. freundii, Enterobacter spp. and S. marcescens were also resistant to LMOX. These resistant strains were considered to be multi-resistant strains to antibiotics including oxime type cephalosporins and monobactams. 3. Cephem-resistant E. coli was confirmed to be resistant to 22% of CEZ, 14% of CFX, 10% of CMZ and 2% of CTT tested. The incidence of cephem-resistant E. coli unconditionally showed an increasing tendency. 4. The incidence of resistant strains against cephamycins including CTT is discussed with regard to the mechanism of resistance against all beta-lactam antibiotics, and the problem of the appearance of resistant strains is close and inseparable from social background.     

Laboratory and clinical studies of sulbactam/cefoperazone in the pediatric field

The authors have carried out the laboratory and clinical studies of sulbactam/cefoperazone (SBT/CPZ) and obtained the following results. The antibacterial activities of SBT/CPZ against the clinical isolates of S. aureus, E. coli, K. pneumoniae, E. cloacae, E. aerogenes, S. marcescens, P. aeruginosa were measured by the plate dilution method with inoculum size of 10(6) cells/ml. The susceptibility distribution of S. aureus to SBT/CPZ ranged from 0.39 to 6.25 micrograms/ml, and the peak of distribution was 1.56 micrograms/ml. The peak of susceptibility distribution of K. pneumoniae was 0.20 microgram/ml, and the distribution of E. coli and E. aerogenes ranged from 0.10 to 12.5 micrograms/ml and that of S. marcescens, from 0.2 to 25 micrograms/ml. The growth of 80.8% of P. aeruginosa was inhibited at the concentration of 12.5 micrograms/ml. The distribution of E. cloacae ranged from 0.1 to 50 micrograms/ml. For pharmacokinetic study, SBT/CPZ was given in a single dose of 20 mg/kg by drip infusion for 1 hour in 2 children and 40 mg/kg by drip infusion for 1 hour in 1 children. With drip infusion of SBT/CPZ, the peak serum level were 17.8/43.9 micrograms/ml, 21.8/75.5 micrograms/ml on completion of the infusion, respectively. SBT/CPZ was effective in 14 cases out of 16 cases with clinical effect. No side effect was observed except for eosinophilia in 1 case.     

Yearly changes in antibacterial activities of cefozopran against various clinical isolates between 1996 and 2001--II. Gram-negative bacteria

The in vitro antibacterial activities of cefozopran (CZOP), an agent of cephems, against various clinical isolates obtained between 1996 and 2001 were yearly evaluated and compared with those of other cephems, oxacephems and carbapenems. A total of 3,245 strains in 32 species of Gram-negative bacteria were isolated from the clinical materials annually collected from January to December, and consisted of Moraxella subgenus Branhamella catarrhalis, Escherichia coli, Citrobacter freundii, Citrobacter koseri, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Klebsiella oxytoca, Enterobacter aerogenes, Enterobacter cloacae, Serratia marcescens, Proteus mirabillis, Proteus vulgaris, Morganella morganii, Providencia spp. (P. alcalifaciens, P. rettgeri, P. stuartii), Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Pseudomonas putida, Burkholderia cepacia, Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, Haemophilus influenzae, Acinetobactor baumannii, Acinetobactor lwoffii, Bacteroides fragilis group (B. fragilis, B. vulgatus, B. distasonis, B. ovatus, B. thetaiotaomicron), and Prevotella spp. (P. melaninogenica, P. intermedia, P. bivia, P. oralis, P. denticola). CZOP possessed stable antibacterial activities against M. (B.) catarrhalis, E. coli, C. freundii, C. koseri, K. pneumoniae, K. oxytoca, E. aerogenes, E. cloacae, S. marcescens, P. mirabilis, P. vulgaris, M. morganii, Providencia spp., P. aeruginosa, and A. lwoffii throughout 6 years. The MIC90 of CZOP against those strains were consistent with those obtained from the studies performed until the new drug application approval. On the other hand, the MIC90 of CZOP against H. influenzae yearly obviously increased with approximately 64-time difference during the study period. The MIC90 of cefpirome, cefepime, and flomoxef against H. influenzae also yearly tended to rise. The present results demonstrated that CZOP had maintained the antibacterial activity against almost Gram-negative strains tested. However, the decrease in antibacterial activities of CZOP against B. cepacia, and H. influenzae was suggested.     

Combined effect of sulbactam/cefoperazone and other antibiotics against clinical isolates of multi-resistant strains. II. In vitro combined effects of sulbactam/cefoperazone with imipenem/cilastatin, cefuzonam, flomoxef, amikacin or tobramycin

We evaluated combined effects of sulbactam/cefoperazone (SBT/CPZ) with each of imipenem/cilastatin (IPM), cefuzonam, flomoxef, amikacin (AMK) and tobramycin (TOB) against 324 clinical strains. Through this study, we obtained the following results. 1. Against Serratia marcescens and Enterobacter cloacae, good synergism was obtained by combining SBT/CPZ with IPM, AMK, or TOB. 2. Against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, good synergism was obtained by combining SBT/CPZ with AMK or TOB. 3. When SBT/CPZ was used in combination with IPM, antagonism was observed among about 45% of strains of P. aeruginosa.     

An in vitro study on combination effect of isepamicin and beta-lactam antibiotics

A study was done on the combined actions of an aminoglycoside, isepamicin (ISP), and 3 beta-lactam antibiotics (cefoperazone (CPZ), latamoxef (LMOX) and imipenem/cilastatin sodium (IPM/CS] against clinical isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Serratia marcescens and Klebsiella pneumoniae. Minimal inhibitory concentrations of individual antibiotics were compared first. ISP and IPM/CS had strong antibacterial activities against all 3 bacterial species while the antibacterial activities of CPZ against P. aeruginosa and S. marcescens, and that of LMOX against P. aeruginosa were much weaker than those of IPM/CS or ISP. Fractional inhibitory concentration indices determined by the checker-board dilution method were compared next. ISP, when used in combination with beta-lactam antibiotics (CPZ, LMOX, or IPM/CS), showed synergistic or additive effect on most strains of the all 3 species, the combination of ISP and CPZ being most effective. Although less effective, synergistic or additive effects were also observed with the combinations of 2 beta-lactam antibiotics (CPZ and IPM/CS, LMOX and IPM/CS). Time course experiments demonstrated that ISP combined with CPZ had bactericidal activities against all 3 bacterial species at concentrations at which the respective drug alone showed only bacteriostatic activity.