ACTIVITY OF QUINUPRISTIN DALFOPRISTIN AGAINST STAPHYLOCOCCUS-EPIDERMIDIS IN BIOFILMS - A COMPARISON WITH CIPROFLOXACIN/

Bactericidal effects of quinupristin/dalfopristin and ciprofloxacin ha ve been studied against six strains of Staphylococcos epidermidis, wit h varying erythromycin resistance phenotypes and varying abilities to form slime and adhere, growing as biofilms. Ciprofloxacin and quinupri stin/dalfopristin killed (2-3 log(10) cfu/mL) planktonic and sessile c ells slowly, but progressively, over the course of 48 h. Rates of kill ing by quinupristin/dalfopristin were independent of concentration ove r the range 5-30 mg/L, and were somewhat slower than those seen with c iprofloxacin. These findings suggest that quinupristin/dalfopristin ma y be useful in the treatment of line-associated infections.