A COMPARISON OF THE ACTIVITY OF CIPROFLOXACIN AND LEVOFLOXACIN WITH OTHER AGENTS AGAINST RESPIRATORY-TRACT PATHOGENS

In a study involving 15 UK hospitals, sequential respiratory tract iso lates of Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae and Moraxell a catarrhalis were studied. The susceptibility of these strains to two fluoroquinolones, ciprofloxacin and levofloxacin were compared to tho se of currently used macrolides and beta-lactams. The activity of cipr ofloxacin and levofloxacin against S. pneumoniae was not statistically significantly different (geometric mean MIC 0.978 and 0.95 mg/L respe ctively). beta-lactam resistance did not affect fluoroquinolone suscep tibility. H. influenzae and M. catarrhalis were highly susceptible to both fluoroquinolones.