Comparative in vitro activity of imipenem and 15 other antimicrobial agents against clinically important aerobic and anaerobic bacteria.

The comparative susceptibility of over 400 strains of aerobic and anaerobic pathogens, isolated from clinical specimens in late 1987 and early 1988, to imipenem and 15 other antimicrobial agents was studied using a uniform broth microdilution technique recommended by the National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards. Imipenem had the widest spectrum of activity and was consistently the most active agent tested. It was active against aerobic gram-positive cocci, aerobic gram-negative bacilli, and anaerobic bacteria.