In vitro activities of the new ketolide HMR 3647 (telithromycin) in comparison with those of eight other antibiotics against viridans group streptococci isolated from blood of neutropenic patients with cancer

The in vitro activities of the ketolide telithromycin and eight other antib iotics were tested against 77 strains of viridans group streptococci isolat ed from blood samples of neutropenic patients. Thirty-one (40.3%) of the st rains were resistant to penicillin G, and 27 (35.1%) were resistant to eryt hromycin A. Telithromycin (MIC range of less than or equal to0.03 to 1 mug/ ml) was the most active antimicrobial tested. These data suggest that telit hromycin could be useful for treatment of viridans group streptococcal bact eremia in neutropenic patients with cancer.