MEROPENEM-INDUCED ALTERATION OF THE SUSCEPTIBILITY OF ESCHERICHIA-COLI AND STAPHYLOCOCCUS-AUREUS TO THE BACTERICIDAL ACTIVITY OF HUMAN POLYMORPHONUCLEAR LEUKOCYTES

The analysis of the interaction between antimicrobials and phagocytosi s in vitro provides information additional to standard MIC and MBC est imations in predicting in-vivo efficacy. This study investigated the e ffects of meropenem, a newly available carbapenem, on the activities o f human neutrophils against Escherichia coil and Staphylococcus aureus . The results were compared with those obtained with imipenem, Pretrea tment of E. coil and S. aureus with meropenem and imipenem sensitized the bacteria to leucocytic killing. In the presence of antibiotics, op sonophagocytic killing of E. coil, but not S. aureus, was synergistica lly enhanced.