EPIDEMIOLOGY AND SENSITIVITY OF 8625 ICU AND HEMATOLOGY-ONCOLOGY BACTERIAL ISOLATES IN EUROPE

A multicenter in-vitro study was conducted in 13 countries between May and November, 1992 to determine both the current bacterial epidemiolo gy in intensive Care and Hematology/Oncology units and the susceptibil ity of the organisms to cefpirome and other commonly used antibacteria ls. Eightynine hospitals each collected 100 consecutive non-duplicate aerobic clinical isolates from patients in either an intensive Care (8 1%) or Hematology/Oncology (19%) unit. The major sources of isolates w ere respiratory, skin/wound. blood and urine. The MIC of eight differe nt antibiotics was determined using a custom microdilution plate. Pred ominant bacteria accounting for 80% of the 8625 isolates included: sta phylococci (26%); Escherichia coli (17%); Pseudomonas aeruginosa (12%) ; Klebsiella spp. (10%); Enterobacter spp. (8%) and enterococci (7%). Gram-positive isolates accounted for more than 35% of all isolates. Ra sed on the susceptibility results to the predominant pathogens. the ac tivity of the drugs tested could be categorized into three groups. Cef pirome and imipenem had the most potent in-vitro activity. followed by the third generation cephalosporins cefotaxime. ceftazidime and ceftr iaxone, and then piperacillin. The large percentage of Gram-positive b acterial isolates in this patient population indicates the utility of antimicrobial agents that are equally effective against both Gram-posi tive and Gram-negative organisms.