The bacteria (Enterococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella spp. and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) isolated from patients diagnosed as having urinary tract infections (UTIs) in 9 institutions in Japan were supplied between the period of August 1999 to July 2000. Then, the susceptibilities of these bacteria to various antimicrobial agents were examined and the results were compared with those obtained between 1991 and 1998. Comparison was made by classifying strains isolated from patients into those with uncomplicated UTIs and those with complicated UTIs (including with or without indwelling catheter).
About E. faecalis, increase of low sensitive strains noted in the former year showed a decreasing tendency, however, one strain each with MIC of 4 μg/ml to vancomycin (VCM) was detected in patients with both uncomplicated and complicated UTIs. As forS. aureus, many sensitive strains to cephems, imipenem (IPM) and VCM were noted, and each MIC₅₀ was better than that in the former years. S. aureus strains showing low susceptibility to arbekacin (ABK) were detected in patients with complicated UTIs in this year as well as in the former year, and one strain each with MIC of 16μg/ml and 32μg/ml was detected. Susceptibilities ofE. coli were effective to all drugs except for penicillins and minocycline (MINO). Decrease of low sensitive strains was also noted in all drugs except for quinolones. Each MIC₉₀ of ciprofloxacin (CPFX) and sparfloxacin (SPFX) in patients with complicated UTIs againstE. coli was 3 degrees classes lower than that in patients with uncomplicated UTIs. As forKlebsiella pneumoniae, decrease of low sensitive strains to cephems was noted in patients with uncomplicated UTIs in 1998. In 1999, low sensitive strains decreased also in patients with complicated UTIs, and few were detected. Susceptibilities of K. pneumoniae to quinolones were effective as compared with those in the former years with the MIC₈₀s of 0.125μg/ml or below without detection of low sensitive strains. One low sensitive strain ofK. pneumoniae with MIC of 8μg/ml was detected for gentamicin (GM). Susceptibilities ofP. aeruginosa to carbapenems were notable. The MIC₉₀ of meropenem (MEPM) and IPM was 4μg/ml each which was 2 degrees better than that in 1998. ResistantP. aeruginosa strains to other drugs except for monobactams decreased in 1999.

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The therapeutic efficacy of a topical antifungal ointment containing 2% tolnaftate was studied in a guinea pig model of tinea pedis using the following four topical antifungal preparations commercially available as reference drugs: variotin (3,000U/g ointment); phenyl-11 iodo-10-undecynoate (0.5% ointment); siccanin (1% ointment); and clotrimazole (1% cream). After the infection fully developed, the infected animals were treated twice daily with the testing drug or reference drug for consecutive four weeks. Therapeutic efficacy was mainly evaluated on the basis of the extent of the yield of fungal cultures from the infected skin tissues (infection intensity) at the end of the treatment period. In animal groups treated with tolnaftate as well as with three reference drugs, siccanin, phenyl-11-iodo-10-undecynoate and clotrimazole, the average infection intensity was significantly lower than that for untreated control group (P<0.05-0.005) although no culture-negative animal was seen in any treated animal group. Comparing with all the reference drugs, tolnaftate was the most highly effective and there was significant difference in the average infection intensity between a tolnaftate treated and each reference drug-treated groups (P<0.01-0.005). These results confirm the clinical usefulness of the current tolnaftate preparation in the treatment of patients with tinea pedis and probably other clinical forms of dermatophytoses.

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