Comparative susceptibilities of clinical isolates of Serratia marcescens to newer cephalosporins, alone and in combination with various aminoglycosides.

We examined 100 clinically significant isolates of Serratia marcescens for susceptibility to newer cephalosporin and cephamycin antibiotics, alone and in combination with various aminoglycosides. Moxalactam and cefotaxime were the most effective agents; all isolates were inhibited by 25 and 50 micrograms/ml, respectively. All strains were susceptible to amikacin at concentrations safely achievable in serum, whereas gentamicin, netilmicin, and tobramycin inhibited 63, 63, and 16% of the isolates, respectively. Moxalactam, cefotaxime, and amikacin were active against gentamicin-susceptible and gentamicin-resistant strains. Studies of synergy revealed that moxalactam and cefotaxime, in combination with netilmicin or amikacin, were often synergistic and infrequently antagonistic against cephalothin- and gentamicin-resistant strains. These results suggest that moxalactam and cefotaxime, alone or in combination, may be efficacious in treating infections due to multiply antibiotic-resistant S. marcescens.