CEFOTAXIME-RESISTANT GRAM-NEGATIVE BACILLI IN A UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL -OCCURRENCE, IDENTITY, SOURCE AND SENSITIVITY PATTERNS

Of the Gram-negative bacilli isolated at The Royal Free Hospital betwe en October 1993 and February 1994, 2.6% (73/2806) were not fully sensi tive to cefotaxime, giving zone diameters in disk tests indicating MIC of cefotaxime > 8 mg/l. Most were Enterobacter spp. (27) or Pseudomon as aeruginosa (21), from leukaemic patients or sputa. Eight-four perce nt were sensitive to imipenem. Resistance to ceftazidime or aztreonam was reversed more frequently by tazobactam or sulbactam than by clavul anate.