In vitro activity of tigecycline and comparators against Gram-negative pathogens isolated from blood in Europe (2004-2009).

Here we report on the antimicrobial resistance amongst Gram-negative isolates (excluding Acinetobacter spp.) collected from blood culture sources at European study sites as part of the global Tigecycline Evaluation and Surveillance Trial (T.E.S.T.) from the study start in 2004 until August 2009. All isolates were collected and tested for minimum inhibitory concentrations using Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute methodology. Over the collection period, extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) production was recorded in 21.1% of Klebsiella pneumoniae, 2.6% of Klebsiella oxytoca and 11.3% of Escherichia coli, primarily in Croatia, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Romania and the Slovak Republic. ESBL rates stabilised amongst K. pneumoniae over 2006-2009, but doubled amongst E. coli in 2008-2009. The patterns of antimicrobial resistance changed accordingly for both organisms. Generally, Greece had the highest antimicrobial resistance for K. pneumoniae, Italy for E. coli, Serratia marcescens and Enterobacter spp., and Croatia for Pseudomonas aeruginosa. High resistance rates amongst K. pneumoniae were also seen in Croatia and Italy. Imipenem resistance amongst K. pneumoniae was reported exclusively in Greece (13.8%); amongst other Enterobacteriaceae, imipenem resistance was absent or low. Similarly, meropenem resistance was low amongst the Enterobacteriaceae except K. pneumoniae from Greece (42.6%). Across Europe, the most active antimicrobial agents against the Enterobacteriaceae were tigecycline, amikacin and the carbapenems, each with <10% resistance each year. Against the other antimicrobials, significant increases in non-susceptibility were reported for K. pneumoniae and E. coli, both important causative pathogens of bacteraemia.