title: Bacterial susceptibilities to piperacillin/tazobactam in a tertiary care hospital: 5-year review.
abstract: Several factors influence the speed of development of antibacterial resistance, among which is the amount of antibiotic consumption. During the 3-year period 1998-2000, the consumption of piperacillin/tazobactam (pip/tazo) increased by 85% in our hospital. Five years ago we conducted a comparative in vitro study to evaluate susceptibilities of microorganisms to pip/tazo. The objective of the present study was to re-evaluate in vitro susceptibilities to pip/tazo, compared to other beta-lactams, and the potential impact its increased consumption might have on its susceptibility patterns. The study was performed between November 2000 and April 2001. As in 1996, of the beta-lactams studied, pip/tazo and imipenem had the highest susceptibility rates against selected pathogens (>90% susceptibility rates). P. aeruginosa susceptibilities to both imipenem and pip/tazo were high (97% for both). P. aeruginosa susceptibilities to cefepime were lower. Despite its increased use, pip/tazo retained its initially observed high susceptibility rates for the study pathogens.
authors.affiliation: Microbiology Department, Evangelismos General Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Platsouka
authors.forename: N P
authors.initials: NP
authors.lastname: Zissis
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Portolos
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Paniara
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006761:Hospitals / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D010397:Penicillanic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010878:Piperacillin / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000077725:Piperacillin, Tazobactam Drug Combination; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000077725:Piperacillin, Tazobactam Drug Combination; D010397:Penicillanic Acid; D010878:Piperacillin