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Objectives: To describe antimicrobial susceptibility among bacterial isolates associated with hospital infections collected from 266 centres in Asia/Pacific Rim (n 5 1947), North America (n 5 24 283), Latin America (n 5 1957) and Europe (n 5 8796).Methods: Isolates were collected from blood, respiratory tract, urine, skin, wound, body fluids and other defined sources between January 2004 and August 2006. Only one isolate per patient was accepted. In vitro MICs for the isolates were determined according to the CLSI (formerly NCCLS) guidelines.Results: Key organisms collected were Acinetobacter baumannii (n 5 2902), Enterobacter spp. (n 5 5731), Escherichia coli (n 5 6504), Klebsiella pneumoniae (n 5 4916), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (n 5 5128), Serratia marcescens (n 5 2313), Enterococcus faecalis (n 5 2701), Enterococcus faecium (n 5 1035) and Staphylococcus aureus (n 5 5753). Rates of methicillin resistance among S. aureus and of vancomycin resistance among enterococci were highest in North America (2016/3809, 52.9% and 571/2544, 22.4%, respectively) and lowest in Europe (337/1340, 25.1% and 36/916, 3.9%, respectively). Tigecycline was the only antimicrobial to maintain activity against all Gram-positive isolates (MIC 90 values of 0.25 mg/L). Overall, tigecycline and imipenem were the most active (>93% susceptibility in all regions) antimicrobials against the Gram-negative species, except for A. baumannii and P. aeruginosa. Piperacillin/tazobactam and amikacin were the most active against P. aeruginosa. Extended-spectrum b-lactamase producers among K. pneumoniae occurred most frequently in Latin America (124/282, 44.0%).Conclusions: Tigecycline is a novel broad-spectrum antimicrobial that is active against the common organisms associated with infections.

Multidrug resistance among bacterial pathogens is an ongoing global problem and renders antimicrobial agents ineffective at treating bacterial infections. In the health care setting, infections caused by multidrug-resistant (MDR) Gram-negative bacteria can cause increased mortality, longer hospital stays, and higher treatments costs. The aim of the Tigecycline Evaluation and Surveillance Trial (TEST) is to assess the in vitro antimicrobial activities of tigecycline and other contemporary agents against clinically relevant pathogens. This paper presents antimicrobial activity data from the TEST study between 2004 and 2014 and examines global rates of MDR Gram-negative isolates, including Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and members of the Enterobacteriaceae, during this time. Our results show that tigecycline retained in vitro activity against many MDR Gram-negative pathogens over the study period, while rates of MDR A. baumannii increased globally. Using these findings, we hope to highlight the current status of multidrug resistance in medical facilities worldwide.

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Safety and efficacy of quinupristin-dalfopristin (an injectable streptogramin antibiotic) were evaluated in the treatment of a variety of infections due to methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in patients either intolerant of or failing prior therapy. The influence of resistance phenotypes on treatment outcome was also assessed. This worldwide, multicentre, open-label, non-comparative, emergency-use clinical study enrolled patients with one or more of nine predefined, culture-confirmed infections with MRSA, who had no clinically appropriate alternative antibiotic therapy. The recommended quinupristin-dalfopristin dose was 7.5 mg/kg administered iv every 8 h for a duration judged appropriate by the investigator. There were no restrictions on prior or concomitant treatment with other antibiotics. Clinical, microbiological and laboratory assessments were performed at baseline, during study drug treatment, within 24 h after the last dose, and 7-21 days post-therapy. Ninety patients [age (mean +/- S.D.) 57.4 +/- 18.5 years] with significant underlying medical illnesses were treated at 63 centres in five countries. The most common indications were bone and joint infection (44.4% of patients) and skin and skin structure infection (16.7%). The mean (+/- S.D.) daily dose and treatment duration was 20.2 +/- 2.9 mg/kg/day for 28.5 +/- 22.3 days, most frequently administered every 8 h. The overall success rate (defined as a clinical outcome of either cure or improvement and a bacteriological outcome of eradication or presumed eradication) was 71.1% in the all-treated population (n = 90) and 66.7% in patients who were both clinically and bacteriologically evaluable (n = 27). Success rates for endocarditis, respiratory tract infection and bacteraemia of unknown source were below the population mean. The macrolide-lincosamide-streptogramin type B resistance phenotype did not appear to alter the response rate. The most common non-venous adverse events related to study medication were arthralgias (10.8%), myalgias (8.6%) and nausea (8.6%). Quinupristin-dalfopristin should be considered as a treatment option for infections caused by MRSA, especially in patients intolerant of or failing alternate therapy.