In vitro additive effect of imipenem combined with vancomycin against multiple-drug resistant, coagulase-negative Staphylococci.

Imipenem combined with vancomycin resulted in a marked additive effect in vitro against 9 clinical isolates of multiple-drug resistant (MDR), coagulase-negative staphylococci, including strains resistant against imipenem. The additive effect was documented with the aid of checkerboard MIC determinations and with time kill curve experiments. In contrast, imipenem combined with vancomycin merely yielded weak additive or indifferent effects against 10 MDR isolates of Staphylococcus aureus, all of which were susceptible to imipenem.