Susceptibility of Bordetella pertussis and Bordetella parapertussis to 24 antibiotics.

The susceptibility of Bordetella pertussis (28 strains) and Bordetella parapertussis (6 strains) to 24 antibiotics (penicillin and cephalosporin derivatives, erythromycin, josamycin, cotrimoxazole, imipenem, aztreonam and fosfomycin) was studied by means of the agar dilution method using charcoal horse blood agar. Piperacillin and mezlocillin showed the highest activity (MIC 0.0039-0.00781 micrograms/ml) against B. pertussis while B. parapertussis was most susceptible to piperacillin (0.03125-0.0625 microgram/ml), mezlocillin and latamoxef (0.125-0.25 microgram/ml).