Vol.55 No.5 September 2007

Combined antibacterial effects of between meropenem and vancomycin, teicoplanin, linezolid, or arbekacin in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus

Noriko Tsuchimochi¹⁾, Yujiro Uchida²⁾, Yoji Nagasaki¹⁾, Yoshihiro Eriguchi¹⁾, Yoriko Maehara¹⁾, Masako Kadowaki¹⁾ and Nobuyuki Shimono^{1, 2)}

¹⁾Faculty of Medicine and Biosystemic Science, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyushu University, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka, Japan
²⁾Faculty of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, Kyushu University Hospital

Abstract

In vitro interaction between meropenem (MEPM) and vancomycin (VCM), teicoplanin (TEIC), linezolid (LZD), or arbekacin (ABK) was studied using the checkerboard technique in 207 clinical isolates of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) (MIC of MEPM ≥32). Of 207 strains, synergistic or additive action was observed in all strains by combination of MEPM and VCM or TEIC. A combination of MEPM and LZD or ABK showed synergistic or additive 196 strains (94.7%) and 159 strains (76.8%). Antagonism was not observed in any combination of MEPM and VCM, TEIC, or LZD, but 22 strains (10.6%) exhibited antagonism in combination with MEPM and ABK. It is thus important to know both the susceptibility of anti-MRSA agents alone and the combined effects of agents.

Key word

methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, meropenem, checkerboard method, synergistic effect, anti-MRSA agent

Received

February 15, 2007

Accepted

July 4, 2007

Jpn. J. Chemother. 55 (5): 363-367, 2007