title: General microbiology and in vitro susceptibility of anaerobes isolated from complicated skin and skin-structure infections in patients enrolled in a comparative trial of ertapenem versus piperacillin-tazobactam.
abstract: In a recently completed study of once-a-day ertapenem versus piperacillin-tazobactam every 6 h in the treatment of complicated skin and skin-structure infections, 540 patients were randomized in a 1rcolon;1 ratio and assigned to 1 of 2 strata: those with a complicating underlying disease or all others. The most common infections in the study were deep soft-tissue abscess (18.9%), followed by diabetic lower extremity infection (18.1%); 7.0% of these were perineal cellulitis/abscess. With the exception of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, almost all of the predominant aerobic pathogens were susceptible to both study drugs. Eighty-seven patients (16%) had >/=1 anaerobe identified in their baseline wound cultures, with a total of 232 anaerobic isolates. Of the 141 anaerobes tested for susceptibility, 97.2% were susceptible to ertapenem and 97.9% to piperacillin-tazobactam. Ertapenem had excellent in vitro activity against the most common aerobic pathogens and almost all anaerobes recovered from patients with infections of the skin and skin structures.
authors.affiliation: R. M. Alden Research Laboratory, Santa Monica, CA, 90404, USA. ejcgmd@aol.com
authors.forename: Ellie J C
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Goldstein
authors.forename: Diane M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Citron
authors.forename: C Vreni
authors.initials: CV
authors.lastname: Merriam
authors.forename: Yumi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Warren
authors.forename: Kerin L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Tyrrell
authors.forename: Richard M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Gesser
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001421:Bacteria, Anaerobic / Q000187:drug effects; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000077727:Ertapenem; D006801:Humans; D007769:Lactams; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D010397:Penicillanic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010406:Penicillins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010878:Piperacillin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017192:Skin Diseases, Bacterial / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D000078142:Tazobactam; D047090:beta-Lactams
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D007769:Lactams; D010406:Penicillins; D047090:beta-Lactams; D010397:Penicillanic Acid; D000077727:Ertapenem; D000078142:Tazobactam; D010878:Piperacillin