In vitro activity of telithromycin against community acquired respiratory pathogens

Background: Telithromycin is a new ketolide antimicrobial, that can be useful for the treatment of respiratory infections. Aim: To compare in vitro activity of telithromycin against respiratory pathogens, isolated in outpatient clinics. Materials and methods: Two hundred eighty strains isolated from patients with respiratory infections, were studied, The strains studied were 5 pneumoniae, penicillin sensitive (SPNS:57); intermediate (MG:25) and S aureus meticillin sensitive (SAUS:30). Minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) by broth microdilution was studied for telitrhomycin and levofloxacin in all strains. Other antimicrobials studied, but not in all strains were erythromycin, clindamycin, trimetoprim sulphamethoxazole, axacillin, amoxicillin-clavulinic acid and cefuroxime. Results: All strains were sensible to telithromycin at a concentration ≤ 4 μ g/ml. MIC 90 and its range for SPNS was 0.03 μ g/ml (≤ 0.004-0.25), for HIN was 2 μ g/ml (0.12-4), for SP was 0.5 μ g/ml (≤ 0.004-2) for MC was 0.5 μ g/ml (0.06-3) and for SAU was 0.25 μ g/ml (0.06-0.25). Conclusions All studied pathogens were sensible to telithromycin in vitro. This antimicrobial is an alternative for the treatment of community acquired respiratory infections.