IN-VITRO SUSCEPTIBILITIES OF BORDETELLA-PERTUSSIS AND BORDETELLA-PARAPERTUSSIS TO 4 FLUOROQUINOLONES (LEVOFLOXACIN, D-OFLOXACIN, OFLOXACIN,AND CIPROFLOXACIN), CEFPIROME, AND MEROPENEM

The in vitro activities of levofloxacin, ofloxacin, d-ofloxacin, cipro floxacin, cefpirome, and meropenem against 34 clinical isolates each o f Bordetella pertussis and Bordetella parapertussis were determined by agar dilution on Mueller-Hinton agar supplemented with 5% horse blood . Levofloxacin was as active as ciprofloxacin against both species (MI C, 0.06 mu g/ml) and more active than ofloxacin and d-ofloxacin. Cefpi rome was more active against B. pertussis (MIC, 1.0 mu g/ml) than agai nst B. parapertussis (MIC, > 2 mu g/ml), while the reverse was true fo r meropenem (MIC, 2.0 mu g/ml against B. pertussis and 1.0 mu g/ml aga inst B. parapertussis).