ACTIVITIES OF CIPROFLOXACIN, LEVOFLOXACIN, OFLOXACIN AND SPARFLOXACINAGAINST SPECIATED COAGULASE-NEGATIVE STAPHYLOCOCCI SENSITIVE AND RESISTANT TO FLUOROQUINOLONES

A total of 119 strains of coagulase-negative staphylococci isolated fr om clinical specimens were speciated and tested for sensitivity to met hicillin and four fluoroquinolones (ciprofloxacin, sparfloxacin, levof loxacin and offoxacin). Resistance to fluoroquinolones was significant ly more common in Staphylococcus haemolyticus (43%) than in Staphyloco ccus epidermidis (11%). Methicillin-resistant strains of S. haemolytic tus were more often resistant to ciprofloxacin than were methicillin-r esistant strains of S. epidermidis (P < 0.05). Sparfloxacin was the mo st active against fluoroquinolone-sensitive strains, and levofloxacin was twice as active as ofloxacin. There was cross-resistance between t he four fluoroquinolones: Levofloxacin was the most active against res istant strains, but MICs obtained for all the compounds seemed to be o utside the clinically useful range for the treatment of systemic infec tions. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.