IN-VITRO ACTIVITY OF MEROPENEM AGAINST CIPROFLOXACIN-RESISTANT ENTEROBACTERIACEAE AND PSEUDOMONAS-AERUGINOSA

The in-vitro susceptibilities of a total of 174 ciprofloxacin-resistan t Enterobacteriaceae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were determined. Accor ding to the BSAC and NCCLS breakpoints, meropenem, aztreonam, ceftibut en, ceftazidime, imipenem and cefotaxime were the most active (>90%) a ntimicrobial agents tested against Enterobacteriaceae. Susceptibility of these strains to piperacillin/tazobactam, cefpodoxime and cefixime (84.96%) was higher than that to tobramycin, gentamicin and fosfomycin (50-75%). More than 90% of P. aeruginosa were susceptible to meropene m when both interpretative susceptibility breakpoint criteria were use d. Piperacillin, piperacillin/tazobactam and ceftazidime were active a gainst 50-75% of the same strains. Meropenem was the most active antim icrobial tested against all ciprofloxacin-resistant clinical isolates assayed.