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Is ciprofloxacin active against clinically important anaerobes?
The Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy
|May 1, 1986
Summary
Ciprofloxacin shows limited effectiveness against anaerobic bacteria like Bacteroides fragilis and clostridia. Its activity is reduced in acidic conditions and with higher bacterial concentrations, making it unsuitable for treating anaerobic infections.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Pharmacology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Anaerobic bacterial infections pose significant treatment challenges.
- Understanding the in-vitro activity of antibiotics against anaerobes is crucial for effective therapy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the comparative activity of ciprofloxacin against a range of anaerobic bacteria.
- To determine the influence of various factors on ciprofloxacin's efficacy against anaerobes.
Main Methods:
- Agar dilution method was employed to test ciprofloxacin's activity.
- 272 clinical isolates and reference strains of anaerobes were utilized.
- Effects of pH, inoculum size, and medium composition were investigated.
Main Results:
- Most Bacteroides fragilis and clostridia strains exhibited resistance to ciprofloxacin (MIC > 2 mg/l).
- Ciprofloxacin's activity decreased significantly at acidic pH and with increased inoculum size.
- Antibiotic activity was not affected by variations in the test media composition.
Conclusions:
- Ciprofloxacin demonstrates limited in-vitro activity against the tested anaerobic organisms.
- Due to its poor efficacy, ciprofloxacin is not recommended for treating anaerobic infections.