Isolated bacteria from infections in general surgery during the period from April 2001 to March 2002 were investigated in a multicenter study in Japan, and the following results were obtained.
In this series, four hundred and twenty strains were isolated from 175 (79.2%) of 221 patients with surgical infections. One hundred and eighty-six strains were isolated from primary infections, and 234 strains were isolated from postoperative infections. From primary infections, anaerobic Gram-positive bacteria were predominant, while from postoperative infections, aerobic Gram-positive bacteria were predominant. Among aerobic Gram-positive bacteria, although the isolation rate of Staphylococcus aureus was the highest, followed by that of Enterococcus faecalis from primary infections, the isolation rate of E. faecalis was the highest from postoperative infections. Among anaerobic Gram-positive bacteria, the isolation rate of Peptostreptococcus spp. was the highest from both types of infections. Among aerobic Gram-negative bacteria, Escherichia coli was the most predominantly isolated from primary infections, followed by Klebsiella pneumoniaeand Pseudomonas aeruginosa in this order, and from postoperative infections, P. aeruginosa was the most predominantly isolated, followed by Enterobacter spp., E. coli and Klebsiella spp. Among anaerobic Gram-negative bacteria, the isolation rate of Bacteroides fragilis group was the highest from both types of infections. The isolation rate of aerobic Gram-negative bacteria from primary infections and that of aerobic Gram-positive bacteria from postoperative infections were high in the last several years. We noticed no vancomycin-resistant Gram-positive cocci.

View full abstract

Antibacterial activity of biapenem (BIPM) against clinical isolates of 8 species between 2000 and 2002 was compared with those of imipenem/cilastatin (IPM/CS), meropenem (MEPM), panipenem/betamipron (PAPM/ BP) and ceftazidime (CAZ).
The MICs of biapenem for Gram-positive bacteria were higher than those of IPM/CS and PAPM/BP, equal to those of MEPM and lower than those of CAZ. The MICs of BIPM for Gram-negative bacteria were higher than those of MEPM, equal to those of IPM/CS and PAPM/BP, and lower than those of CAZ. Antibacterial activity of BIPM against Pseudomonas aeruginosa was equal to those of IPM/CS and MEPM and superior to those of PAPM/BP and CAZ.
In conclusion, BIPM showed broad antibacterial activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative clinical isolates. These results suggest that BIPM is useful for the treatment of various bacterial infections.

View full abstract

Antimicrobial activity of fosfomycin (FOM), cefazolin (CEZ), cefmetazole (CMZ), cefotiam (CTM) and piperacillin (PIPC) against clinical isolates of methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA)(β-lactamase-producing or non-producing) and methicillin-sensitive coagulase-negative Staphylococci (MSCNS)(β-lactamase-producing or non-producing) were determined to make clear the differences in antimicrobial activity of FOM and β-lactam antibiotics.
The antimicrobial activity of PIPC against β-lactamase-producing strains of MSSA was lower than that against non-producing ones, judging from the distribution patterns of susceptibility of the strains to PIPC. There were no differences in the antimicrobial activity of FOM, CEZ and CMZ for the producing and non-producing strains.
The activity of FOM against MSCNS was comparable to that against MSSA, although those of CEZ, CMZ, CTM and PIPC were decreased. FOM, CEZ, CMZ and CTM showed bactericidal activity against TH4278 (MIC [μg/ml]: FOM, 1; CEZ, 0.5; CMZ, 1; CTM, 0.5; PIPC, 1) of β-lactamase-producing MSSA at 1μg/ml for 6h, but PIPC did not at the same condition. FOM and CMZ at MIC suppressed regrowth of the strain, but CEZ, CTM and PIPC did not.
In conclusion, FOM, which is not affected by β-lactamase, demonstrated strong bactericidal activity at low concentration against the β-lactam-resistant strains due to β-lactamase production.

View full abstract

[in Japanese]

View full abstract