A COMPARATIVE-EVALUATION OF SCH-25298 - A FLUORINATED DERIVATIVE OF CHLORAMPHENICOL

Objective: To determine the in vitro activity of Sch 25298, a fluorina ted derivative of chloramphenicol. Design: Determinations of minimum i nhibitory concentration by agar dilution method of Sch 25298 and chlor amphenicol against 922 recent clinical isolates. Setting: King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Results : Sch 25298 was more inhibitory than chloramphenicol against both meth icillin-susceptible and methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus, c oagulase negative staphylococci, enterococci, Haemophilus influenzae a nd members of Enterobacteriaceae. Its antibacterial activity against s treptococci was comparable with that of chloramphenicol. All the 89 is olates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter were resistant to b oth Sch 25298 and chloramphenicol. Conclusion: Sch 25298 exhibited mor e potent antibacterial activity than chloramphenicol against most of t he bacteria tested. Many of the chloramphenicol-resistant isolates wer e susceptible to Sch 25298.