In vitro antibacterial activity of faeriefungin, a new broad-spectrum polyene macrolide antibiotic.

The in vitro activity of faeriefungin, a new pentaene macrolide lactone antibiotic produced by Streptomyces griseus var. autotrophicus, against 263 clinical bacterial isolates was examined. In contrast to the related fungicidal antibiotics nystatin and amphotericin B, which show no activity against bacteria, faeriefungin showed bactericidal activity against all species of gram-positive bacteria examined. MICs for these species ranged from 8 to 64 micrograms/ml, and the MIC for 90% of the isolates tested was 32 micrograms/ml. Isolates of some fastidious gram-negative species, including Neisseria gonorrhoeae, N. meningitidis, and Haemophilus influenzae, were slightly susceptible to faeriefungin, with MICs ranging from 16 to 128 micrograms/ml, but all members of the families Enterobacteriaceae and Pseudomonadaceae, with the exception of Pseudomonas cepacia, were completely resistant to faeriefungin at the concentrations tested. Faeriefungin is also active against fungi, nematodes, and mosquito larvae. The mode of action of faeriefungin against both bacteria and fungi is under investigation.