title: Survival of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia following exposure to concentrations of tobramycin used in aerosolized therapy for cystic fibrosis patients.
abstract: The use of aerosolized tobramycin is an important component in the management of patients with cystic fibrosis, particularly those with chronic Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection. Clinicians have been concerned that long-term therapy with aerosolized tobramycin may increase the risk of colonization with multi-resistant bacteria, including Stenotrophomonas maltophilia. The ability of five strains (three clinical, two environmental) of S. maltophilia to survive exposure to 16000 microg/mL tobramycin, a concentration commonly found inside the atomization chamber of nebulizers used to deliver aerosolized therapy, was studied. Under a variety of different growth conditions, all five strains were able to survive exposure to 16000 microg/mL of tobramycin. Post-exposure recovery was enhanced at 20 degrees C and 30 degrees C in comparison with 37 degrees C under all test conditions. The importance of these findings in relation to the epidemiology of S. maltophilia in patients with cystic fibrosis is discussed.
authors.affiliation: Division of Microbiology, University of Leeds, LS2 9JT, Leeds, UK.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mooney
authors.forename: K G
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Kerr
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Denton
mesh_terms: D000280:Administration, Inhalation; D000336:Aerosols; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003550:Cystic Fibrosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial; D006801:Humans; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D020615:Stenotrophomonas maltophilia / Q000187:drug effects*; D014031:Tobramycin / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000336:Aerosols; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D014031:Tobramycin