In vitro activity of coumermycin alone or in combination against Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis

The in vitro activity of coumermycin was tested against oxacillin-susceptible and resistant strains of Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis, and compared with that of penicillin G, oxacillin, minocyclin, erythromycin, vancomycin, teicoplanin, rifampicin and LM 427. The MICs were measured using the agar dilution method with an inoculum of 10(5) cfu/spot. Coumermycin was the most active antibiotic with MIC90 of 0.025-0.2 mg/l. The MICs of coumermycin remained unchanged by further incubation for 48 h. The combination of coumermycin with ciprofloxacin, an inhibitor of subunit A of the DNA gyrase, was studied by the time-kill curve method and resulted in a synergistic effect when subinhibitory concentrations of either antibiotic were used. The combination of coumermycin with rifampicin or LM 427 was antagonistic.