Postantibiotic effect of the penem FCE 22101 against selected gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria in vitro and in vivo by the use of a tissue cage model in rabbits.

Isolates of Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae and Klebsiella pneumoniae were tested for their bactericidal activity and postantibiotic effect (PAE) with the new penem FCE 22101. The tissue cage model in rabbits was used to study PAE in vivo. The bactericidal activity against all four species was shown to be in the range of 0.05-4.0 mg/l. A 99.9% killing effect at MBC concentrations was reached within 2 hours with S. pneumoniae and K. pneumoniae and within 6-8 hours with S. aureus and H. influenzae. After in vitro exposure by FCE 22101 a PAE in vitro and in vivo was obtained against S. aureus, S. pneumoniae and H. influenzae strains but no PAE could be demonstrated against K. pneumoniae. FCE 22101 showed a good bactericidal activity and PAE against the strains investigated, except for K. pneumoniae.