In vitro assessment of rokitamycin against problem gram-positive cocci

Rokitamycin was more active than erythromycin against erythromycin-sensitive strains of Staphylococcus aureus and enterococci, but somewhat less active against coagulase-negative staphylococci. Strains with inducible resistance to erythromycin were uniformly resistant to erythromycin, while rokitamycin was active against such strains. Strains with constitutive resistance to erythromycin were also uniformly resistant to erythromycin, and most were also resistant to rokitamycin. However, 5 of 21 coagulase-negative staphylococci and 2 of 20 enterococci remained sensitive to rokitamycin. This is a novel finding, perhaps suggesting a new mechanism of macrolide resistance.