Comparative in vitro antibacterial activity of ofloxacin and ciprofloxacin against some selected gram-positive and gram-negative isolates.

The in vitro activities of ofloxacin and ciprofloxacin were tested against five selected groups of clinical bacterial isolates. Both were active against: Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis, irrespective of their resistance to methicillin or gentamicin; Haemophilus influenzae and Neisseria gonorrhoeae, irrespective of their beta-lactamase production; members of the Enterobacteriaceae family which were resistant to most oral beta-lactams, and most intestinal bacterial pathogens including Campylobacter, Vibrio, Salmonella, Shigella and Yersinia. Ciprofloxacin was found more active than ofloxacin against Pseudomonas with most isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Pseudomonas fluorescens susceptible, while those of Pseudomonas cepacia were resistant.