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Published on: April 18, 2019

The activity of meropenem and comparators against Acinetobacter strains isolated from European hospitals, 1997-2000

P J Turner1, J M Greenhalgh,

  • 1Antibiotic Development and Technical Support Group, AstraZeneca, Alderley House, Alderley Park, Macclesfield, Cheshire, SK10 4TF, UK. philip.turner@astrazeneca.com

Clinical Microbiology and Infection : the Official Publication of the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases
|July 10, 2003
PubMed

Insights

Carbapenems like meropenem show strong activity against Acinetobacter strains causing serious infections. These antibiotics are a viable option for treating Acinetobacter infections, demonstrating lower resistance rates.

Area of Science:

  • Clinical Microbiology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Antimicrobial Resistance

Background:

  • Acinetobacter species are significant causes of hospital-acquired infections.
  • Rising antimicrobial resistance necessitates ongoing surveillance of bacterial susceptibilities.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the in vitro activity of meropenem and other antimicrobial agents against Acinetobacter strains.
  • To assess the prevalence of resistance in Acinetobacter isolates from serious infections across European hospitals.

Main Methods:

  • Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed on 635 Acinetobacter strains collected from 37 European centers (1997-2000).
  • The Meropenem Yearly Susceptibility Test Information Collection (MYSTIC) Program data were analyzed.
  • Isolates included Acinetobacter baumannii, Acinetobacter calcoaceticus var. lwoffii, and other Acinetobacter species.

Main Results:

  • Meropenem (14% resistance) and imipenem (16% resistance) exhibited the highest in vitro activity.
  • High resistance rates were observed for piperacillin-tazobactam (39%), tobramycin (41%), ceftazidime (45%), and ciprofloxacin (53%).
  • Acinetobacter baumannii comprised the majority of the isolates (490/635).

Conclusions:

  • Carbapenems, specifically meropenem and imipenem, demonstrate significant in vitro efficacy against Acinetobacter spp.
  • These carbapenems represent a crucial therapeutic option for managing serious infections caused by Acinetobacter species.
  • The study highlights the continued importance of carbapenems in the context of Acinetobacter infections.

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