E. Plastsouka et al., COMPARATIVE IN-VITRO EVALUATION OF PIPERACILLIN TAZOBACTAM IN A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL/, Journal of chemotherapy, 9(5), 1997, pp. 336-340
Bacterial resistance is usually a serious problem in tertiary care hos
pitals. The aim of this in vitro study mas to evaluate the beta-lactam
ase inhibitor combination piperacillin/tazobactam in a hospital enviro
nment with high bacterial resistance rates and compare it with other b
eta-lactam agents. Three hundred and sixty-two isolates from various c
linical materials were studied during the period March-August 1996. Ma
terial for culture was collected from patients of all the wards of our
hospital, with the majority being from the Intensive Care Unit (45%).
Pathogenic Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria with high resista
nce rates and beta-lactamase production were studied (staphylococci, e
nterococci, Enterobacteriaceae, Pseudomonas). Significant bacterial re
sistance rates were identified for ceftazidime (50% for Klebsiellae, 6
0% for Enterobacter spp, 60% for Proteus spp, 33% for Pseudomonas spp,
75% for Acinetobacter spp) and ciprofloxacin (33% for both Klebsiella
e and Enterobacter spp, 67% for Pseudomonas spp, 50% Acinetobacter spp
). Fifty percent of Enterococcus isolates were resistant co ciprofloxa
cin but all of them were susceptible to piperacillin/tazobactam, amoxi
cillin/clavulanate and imipenem. The antibacterial activity of piperac
illin/tazobactam (susceptibility rates 83 to 100% for Enterobacteriace
ae, 83% for Pseudomonas spp and 75% for Acinetobacter spp) was higher
than that of ceftazidime, piperacillin and ciprofloxacin. Imipenem, be
ing mostly a reserve product, showed higher activity against Acinetoba
cter, Klebsiella and Enterobacter species.