title: In-vitro disk diffusion sensitivity of meropenem against bacterial pathogens in Harare.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the in-vitro sensitivity of meropenem with imipenem and other antibiotics against clinically significant bacteria.
  
  
  METHODS
  A longitudinal survey.
  
  
  METHODS
  Department of Medical Microbiology, in a tertiary care university hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  Specimens obtained from patients attending various clinics at tertiary care and teaching hospital in Harare. Those submitted to the Public Health Bacteriology Laboratory were analysed.
  
  
  METHODS
  Rates of resistance or susceptibility of the various bacteria to the antibiotics employed in the study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was excellent in-vitro bacterial activity of meropenem against virtually all clinically significant Gram positive and Gram negative isolates when compared with other antibiotics such as imipenem, ciprofloxacin, gentamicin, penicillin, ampicillin, fusidic acid, tetracyclines, erythromycin and clindamycin (p < 0.5). All isolates of Streptococcus pyogenes, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterobacteriaceae, Neisseria meningitidis were susceptible to meropenem. Meropenem showed 99% overall in-vitro sensitivity against Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria. About 80% of staphylococci were resistant to penicillin whereas at least 20-25% of S. aureus, coagulase negative staphylococci, S. pyogenes showed resistance to ampicillin, erythromycin, gentamicin, tetracycline and clindamycin.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Meropenem is not included in the list of routinely tested antibiotics in our laboratory, a major tertiary laboratory in the country. As a result of the ultra-broad spectrum of activity, we recommend its inclusion in our routine antibiotic sensitivity testing and observe that there is a great potential for meropenem in the treatment of infections caused by several genera of bacteria in our environment.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, University of Zimbabwe, Avondale, Harare, Zimbabwe.
authors.forename: C L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Obi
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Makandiramba
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Tswana
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Robertson
authors.forename: S R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Moyo
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nziramasanga
mesh_terms: D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial; D016905:Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology*; D016908:Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D015378:Imipenem / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D000077731:Meropenem; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests / Q000379:methods*; D013845:Thienamycins / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015030:Zimbabwe
chemical_list: D013845:Thienamycins; D015378:Imipenem; D000077731:Meropenem