The in-vitro activity of moxifloxacin against Legionella species and the effects of medium on susceptibility test results. (49/2353)

The in-vitro activities of moxifloxacin, ciprofloxacin, erythromycin and rifampicin against 49 Legionella spp. isolates were determined by an agar dilution method with buffered charcoal yeast extract agar containing alpha-ketoglutarate. Because the inhibitory effects of charcoal in the test media were pronounced (92% for quinolones, 90.5% for rifampicin and 92.5% for erythromycin), the MICs were corrected for the charcoal-bound fraction of the antibiotics. The corrected geometric mean MICs were 0.018 mg/L for moxifloxacin, 0.02 mg/L for ciprofloxacin, 0.27 mg/L for erythromycin and 0.005 mg/L for rifampicin.  (+info)

Antimicrobial activity and accumulation of moxifloxacin in quinolone-susceptible bacteria. (50/2353)

The antibacterial activity of moxifloxacin, compared with that of ciprofloxacin, was determined for five strains of Staphylococcus aureus, including one NorA-overproducing strain, two quinolone-susceptible strains of Streptococcus pneumoniae, four quinolone-susceptible strains of Haemophilus influenzae, and one strain each of quinolone-susceptible Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Moraxella catarrhalis. In addition, the accumulation of moxifloxacin and ciprofloxacin by the NCTC type strain of S. pneumoniae, H. influenzae, S. aureus, E. coli and P. aeruginosa was determined by a fluorescence method. For all strains, moxifloxacin accumulated to a lower concentration than ciprofloxacin. The concentrations of moxifloxacin accumulated ranged from 12 to 44 ng/mg dry cells. The lowest concentration was accumulated by S. pneumoniae NCTC 7465 and the highest concentration by S. aureus NCTC 8532. Increased expression of norA in S. aureus had no effect on the accumulation of moxifloxacin. Despite differences in the concentration of moxifloxacin accumulated by the different species, there was little difference between the MICs of this agent for each strain (0.06-0.5 mg/L), suggesting that the concentration accumulated by wild-type bacteria has little effect on the MIC.  (+info)

Anti-pneumococcal activity of gatifloxacin compared with other quinolone and non-quinolone agents. (51/2353)

An agar dilution MIC method was used to test the activity of gatifloxacin, a new broad-spectrum fluoroquinolone, compared with ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, sparfloxacin, trovafloxacin, amoxycillin, cefuroxime, ceftriaxone and clarithromycin against 71 penicillin-susceptible, 81 penicillin-intermediate and 55 penicillin-resistant pneumococci. Quinolone activity was unaffected by penicillin susceptibility, with MIC50/MIC90s (mg/L) of 0.25/0.5 for gatifloxacin; 1/2 for ciprofloxacin; 1/2 for levofloxacin; 0.25/0.5 for sparfloxacin; 0.125/0.25 for trovafloxacin. beta-Lactam and clarithromycin MICs rose with those of penicillin G; MIC50/MIC90 values (mg/L) for penicillin-susceptible, -intermediate and -resistant strains were: 0.03/0.06, 0.25/1, 2/4 for penicillin G; 0.03/0.03, 0.125/1, 2/4 for amoxycillin; 0.03/0.125, 0.5/4, 8/16 for cefuroxime; 0.03/0.03, 0.25/0.5, 2/4 for ceftriaxone; 0.03/0.06, 0.03/>64, 1/>64 for clarithromycin. Time-kill testing of four penicillin-susceptible, four -intermediate and four -resistant strains showed that levofloxacin at the MIC, gatifloxacin and sparfloxacin at 2 x MIC, and trovafloxacin and ciprofloxacin at 4 x MIC, were bactericidal (99.9% killing) for all strains after 12 h and 24 h. By contrast, amoxycillin, cefuroxime and ceftriaxone showed bactericidal activity after 24 h against all strains at 4, 8 and 4 x MIC, respectively. Against ten organisms with clarithromycin MICs of 0.03-4.0 mg/L, clarithromycin was bactericidal against seven strains at 8 x MIC after 24 h. Quinolones showed more rapid killing at lower concentrations and earlier time periods than did beta-lactams and clarithromycin.  (+info)

Investigation of the synergic effects of aminoglycoside-fluoroquinolone and third-generation cephalosporin combinations against clinical isolates of Pseudomonas spp. (52/2353)

Antimicrobial synergy resulting from antibiotic combination therapy is often important in the treatment of serious bacterial infections. Previous studies have demonstrated synergy between an aminoglycoside and beta-lactam antibiotics in the treatment of Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections. The present paper investigates the synergic effects of aminoglycosides (amikacin and netilmicin) and fluoroquinolones (ciprofloxacin, ofloxacin and pefloxacin) in combination with third-generation cephalosporins (cefoperazone, ceftriaxone and ceftazidime) against 18 clinical isolates of Pseudomonas spp. The effects of these drugs were examined by three methods (disc diffusion, 'chequerboard' titration and the time-killing method), to evaluate the activities of the antibiotics alone and in combination against selected isolates. Fractional inhibitory concentration indices were calculated for all isolates with all combinations. Use of the disc diffusion method revealed that amikacin and netilmicin in combination with the three cephalosporins exhibited synergy against 7-12 isolates, whereas the combinations of quinolones and ceftazidime displayed synergic effects only in the case of 3-5 isolates. On 'chequerboard' titration, amikacin and ceftriaxone exerted synergy against seven of the isolates. The other combinations showed synergy against fewer isolates, but every combination demonstrated synergic effect against some of the isolates. The tested combinations had different effects against various Pseudomonas spp. With the time-killing method, the 1/2 x MIC of amikacin or ciprofloxacin in combination with the 1/2 x MIC of third-generation cephalosporins proved to be most effective. No antagonism was found with these combinations. Discrepancies in the detection of synergy were observed for the different methods.  (+info)

In-vitro activity of grepafloxacin, a new fluoroquinolone, against mycoplasmas. (53/2353)

The in-vitro activity of grepafloxacin, a new oral fluoroquinolone antibiotic, was compared with those of three other fluoroquinolones and two unrelated antimicrobials, doxycycline and erythromycin, against various Mycoplasma spp. For 65 mycoplasma and 42 ureaplasma strains, grepafloxacin (MIC range 0.03-2 mg/L) was some two to 16 times more active than ofloxacin and ciprofloxacin, showing similar activity to that of sparfloxacin. MBCs of grepafloxacin increased two- to 16-fold when compared with MICs and were comparable to those of sparfloxacin, and lower than those of ofloxacin and ciprofloxacin.  (+info)

Prevention of febrile leucopenia after chemotherapy in high-risk breast cancer patients: no significant difference between granulocyte-colony stimulating growth factor or ciprofloxacin plus amphotericin B. (54/2353)

In a prospective randomized trial, 40 stage IV breast cancer patients undergoing intermediate high-dose chemotherapy (cyclophosphamide, 5-fluorouracil plus epirubicin or methotrexate), received either recombinant human G-CSF (rhG-CSF, group I) or ciprofloxacin and amphotericin B (CAB, group II) for prevention of febrile leucopenia (FL). In group I, seven of 18 patients developed FL (after 10/108 courses); in group II, seven of 22 patients (7/98 courses) (P = NS). Median hospitalization duration and costs were not different. RhG-CSF was 6.6 times more expensive per course than CAB. In conclusion, prophylactic CAB has similar efficacy to rhG-CSF in this setting, and is more cost-effective.  (+info)

Antibiotic combination therapy in patients with chronic, treatment-resistant pouchitis. (55/2353)

BACKGROUND: Pouchitis is the major long-term complication after ileal pouch-anal anastomosis for ulcerative colitis. About 15% of patients have a chronic, treatment-resistant disease. AIMS: To evaluate the efficacy of an antibiotic combination for chronic active, treatment-resistant pouchitis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Eighteen patients were treated orally with rifaximin 1 g b.d. + ciprofloxacin 500 mg b.d. for 15 days. Symptoms assessment, endoscopic and histological evaluations were performed at screening and after 15 days using the Pouchitis Disease Activity Index (PDAI). Improvement was defined as a decrease of at least 3 points in PDAI score, and remission as a PDAI score of 0. Systemic absorption of rifaximin was determined by high performance liquid chromatography. Faecal samples were collected before and after antibiotic treatment for stool culture. RESULTS: Sixteen out of 18 patients (88.8%) either improved (n=10) or went into remission (n=6); the median PDAI scores before and after therapy were 11 (range 9-17) and 4 (range 0-16), respectively (P < 0.002). No side-effects were reported. Rifaximin plasma levels and urinary excretion were negligible, confirming its mainly topical activity. A significant decrease in total anaerobes and aerobes, enterococci, lactobacilli, bifidobacteria and bacteroides in faecal samples was observed, while the reduction in number of coliforms and Clostridium perfringens did not reach a statistical significance. CONCLUSIONS: A combination of rifaximin and ciprofloxacin was effective in patients with active chronic, treatment-resistant pouchitis, suggesting the need, in these patients, for treatment using antibiotic agents with wide antibacterial spectrum of activity.  (+info)

Topoisomerase sequences of coagulase-negative staphylococcal isolates resistant to ciprofloxacin or trovafloxacin. (56/2353)

Coagulase-negative staphylococcal isolates (n = 188) were screened for susceptibility to oxacillin, ciprofloxacin, and trovafloxacin, a new fluoroquinolone. At an oxacillin concentration of >/=4 microg/ml, 43% were methicillin resistant; of these, 70% were ciprofloxacin resistant (MIC, >/=4 microg/ml). Of the methicillin-resistant, ciprofloxacin-resistant isolates, 46% were susceptible to /=8 microg/ml) and increased trovafloxacin MICs (0.25 to 2 microg/ml) could be conferred by the combined presence of single mutations in each gyrA and grlA gene. Trovafloxacin MICs of >/=8 microg/ml also occurred, but these required an additional mutation in grlA.  (+info)