Susceptibility of common aerobic pathogens to tigecycline: results of a surveillance study in Germany

• Published in: European journal of clinical microbiology & infectious diseases 2009, Vol.28 (1), p.83-90
• Main Authors: Kresken, M, Leitner, E, Brauers, J, Geiss, H. K, Halle, E, von Eiff, C, Peters, G, Seifert, H
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Anti-Bacterial Agents - pharmacology; Antibacterial agents; Antibiotics. Antiinfectious agents. Antiparasitic agents; Antimicrobial agents; Bacteria; Bacteria, Aerobic - drug effects; Bacteria, Aerobic - isolation & purification; Bacterial Infections - microbiology; Biological and medical sciences; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Child; Child, Preschool; Concise Article; E coli; Female; Germany; Gram-Negative Bacteria - drug effects; Gram-Negative Bacteria - isolation & purification; Gram-Positive Bacteria - drug effects; Gram-Positive Bacteria - isolation & purification; Humans; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Infectious diseases; Internal Medicine; Male; Medical Microbiology; Medical sciences; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Microbiology; Middle Aged; Minocycline - analogs & derivatives; Minocycline - pharmacology; Pathogens; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Staphylococcus infections
• ISSN: 0934-9723; 1435-4373
• DOI: 10.1007/s10096-008-0589-0

Tigecycline is a novel antimicrobial agent for parenteral use encompassing a broad spectrum of bacterial pathogens, including multi-resistant organisms. Here, we report the results of the first nationwide surveillance trial that was conducted in order to evaluate the susceptibility of bacterial isolates to tigecycline in a European country prior to its clinical use. A total of 2,610 Gram-positive and Gram-negative organisms recovered from hospitalized patients were tested. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) were determined using the microdilution method. All enterococci, staphylococci (including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus; MRSA), and streptococci tested were tigecycline-susceptible, except one isolate of Staphylococcus haemolyticus. Among the Gram-negative bacteria, 100% of the Escherichia coli isolates (including extended spectrum β-lactamase [ESBL]-producers) were tigecycline-susceptible, while about 10% of the Enterobacter cloacae and Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates were resistant. Based on the results of this surveillance study, tigecycline may represent a suitable option most notably for the empiric treatment of bacterial mixed infections, including in clinical situations in which multi-resistant organisms are suspected.