Comparative in vitro activity of sitafloxacin against bacteremic isolates of carbapenem resistant Acinetobacter...

The emergence of carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB) complex has posed a great challenge to clinicians worldwide. Sitafloxacin has been shown to have in vitro activity against pathogens resistant to other fluoroquinolones. However, data comparing the anti-CRAB activity of sitafloxacin with that of other antimicrobial agents are limited.

Genospecies were identified by 16S-23S ribosomal RNA intergenic spacer sequencing. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) were determined by an agar dilution method. Isolates with sitafloxacin MICs ≤ 2 mg/L were provisionally considered as susceptible to sitafloxacin. The MIC breakpoint for tigecycline susceptibility was 2 mg/L.

A total of 167 CRAB complex blood isolates (146 A. baumannii, 7 Acinetobacter pittii, and 14 Acinetobacter nosocomialis) were collected from January 2009 to December 2011. Around 90% of the A. baumannii isolates were resistant to amikacin, cefepime, ceftazidime, piperacillin/tazobactam, ampicillin/sulbactam, ciprofloxacin, and levofloxacin. By contrast, the rate of resistance to colistin, sitafloxacin, and tigecycline was relatively low (0%, 41.1%, and 65.1%, respectively). The MIC50 and MIC90 of ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, and sitafloxacin were 128 mg/L and >128 mg/L; 16 mg/L and 64 mg/L; 2 mg/L and 8 mg/L, respectively. Compared with ciprofloxacin and levofloxacin, sitafloxacin had a significantly lower MIC (p < 0.001), and the rate of resistance to sitafloxacin was significantly lower than that to ciprofloxacin (97.9% vs. 41.1%, p < 0.001), levofloxacin (97.3% vs. 41.1%, p < 0.001), and tigecycline (p < 0.001).

Sitafloxacin has acceptable in vitro activity against CRAB, even against isolates resistant to other fluoroquinolones. Sitafloxacin may be considered an alternative drug of choice in treating CRAB related infections.