IN-VITRO ACTIVITIES OF AMPICILLIN-SULBACTAM AND AMOXICILLIN-CLAVULANIC ACID AGAINST ACINETOBACTER-BAUMANNII

In vitro susceptibility patterns of newer beta-lactamase-inhibiting an tibiotics ampicillin-sulbactam (A/S) and amoxicillin-clavulanic acid ( AIC) for 100 consecutive isolates of Acinetobacter baumannii obtained from various clinical samples were studied. The A/C MIC for 86% of the strains was more than 16/8 mu g/ml, whereas there was an A/S MIC of m ore than 16/8 mu g/ml for only 38% of the strains, This showed that A/ S has significantly superior in vitro activity compared to A/C against A. baumannii, although, theoretically, both should have similar activ ities. The therapeutic superiority of A/S over A/C needs to be studied , or else the breakpoints for these agents in in vitro tests need to b e redefined.