Susceptibility of Bacteroides non-fragilis and fusobacteria to amoxicillin, amoxicillin/clavulanate, ticarcillin, ticarcillin/clavulanate, cefoxitin, imipenem and metronidazole.

The susceptibility of 234 Bacteroides non-fragilis strains and 56 fusobacteria from 12 European centers to amoxicillin, amoxicillin/clavulanate, ticarcillin, ticarcillin/clavulanate, cefoxitin, imipenem and metronidazole was tested and related to beta-lactamase production. Beta-lactamase production was detected in 42.3 % of the Bacteroides strains and 26.8% of the fusobacteria. The MIC90 of amoxicillin for beta-lactamase-negative strains was 0.5 microgram/ml and the MIC90 of ticarcillin 2.0 micrograms/ml. In the case of beta-lactamase-positive strains the MIC90 of amoxicillin (32 micrograms/ml) and ticarcillin (16 micrograms/ml) dropped to less than or equal to 1.0 microgram/ml upon addition of clavulanate; 65.8% of these strains were susceptible to amoxicillin and 98.2% to ticarcillin, but all were susceptible when clavulanate was added. All strains were susceptible to imipenem and metronidazole, and 99.3% to cefoxitin.