Activity of ceftazidime against Gram-negative bacilli from paediatric patients

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Infectious Diseases
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Antibiotic resistance is a growing concern in pediatric infections.
• Ceftazidime is a third-generation cephalosporin with broad-spectrum activity.
• Understanding its efficacy against clinically relevant bacterial isolates is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the in-vitro susceptibility of clinically relevant bacterial isolates from pediatric patients to ceftazidime.
• To compare the activity of ceftazidime with other cephalosporins against coliform bacilli.
• To assess the efficacy of ceftazidime against Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Main Methods:

• In-vitro susceptibility testing of bacterial isolates using minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) range and MIC90.
• Inclusion of diverse bacterial strains: coliform bacilli (meningitis, multiply-resistant), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (burn, cystic fibrosis), and nonfermentative bacilli.
• Comparative analysis with other cephalosporins like moxalactam, ceftriaxone, and cefotaxime.

Main Results:

• Ceftazidime exhibited potent activity against coliform bacilli with a MIC90 of 0.25 mg/l.
• The antibiotic showed significant activity against most Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains (MIC90 of 8 mg/l, median MIC of 2 mg/l).
• Ceftazidime demonstrated comparable activity to moxalactam, ceftriaxone, and cefotaxime against coliforms and superior activity against Pseudomonas.

Conclusions:

• Ceftazidime is a highly active antibiotic against a wide range of pediatric bacterial pathogens.
• Its efficacy against coliform bacilli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa supports its potential use in treating serious pediatric infections.
• Ceftazidime offers a valuable therapeutic option, particularly against multi-drug resistant strains.