title: In vitro activities of linezolid combined with other antimicrobial agents against Staphylococci, Enterococci, Pneumococci, and selected gram-negative organisms.
abstract: The activities of linezolid, an oxazolidinone antibacterial agent active against gram-positive organisms, alone and in combination with 35 antimicrobial agents were tested in vitro against methicillin-sensitive (n = 1 to 2 strains) and methicillin-resistant (n = 8 to 10) Staphylococcus aureus strains; vancomycin-sensitive (n = 6) and vancomycin-resistant (n = 6 to 8) Enterococcus faecalis strains; vancomycin-sensitive (n = 5) and vancomycin-resistant (n = 6) Enterococcus faecium strains; penicillin-sensitive (n = 2 to 5), penicillin-intermediate (n = 5 to 6), and penicillin-resistant (n = 5 to 6) Streptococcus pneumoniae strains; Escherichia coli (n = 6); and Klebsiella pneumoniae (n = 6). The fractional inhibitory concentration indices of linezolid in combination with other antimicrobial agents for the organisms tested were generated on checkerboard broth microdilution plates prepared by a semiautomated method. Of 1,380 organism-drug combinations, 1,369 (99.2%) combinations of linezolid with 28 antimicrobial drugs were indifferent, 9 combinations (0.65%) of linezolid with 6 drugs (amoxicillin, erythromycin, imipenem, sparfloxacin, teicoplanin, and tetracycline) were synergistic, and 2 combinations (0.15%) of linezolid with 2 drugs (ofloxacin and sparfloxacin) were antagonistic. Overall, the in vitro data demonstrated that linezolid combined with other antimicrobial agents primarily produces an indifferent response, with infrequent occurrences of synergism and antagonism.
authors.affiliation: Infectious Diseases Biology, Pharmacia Corporation, Kalamazoo, Michigan 4907, USA. michael.t.sweeney@pharmacia.com
authors.forename: Michael T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Sweeney
authors.forename: Gary E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Zurenko
mesh_terms: D000081:Acetamides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004336:Drug Antagonism; D024901:Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial; D004357:Drug Synergism; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D013293:Enterococcus faecalis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D016984:Enterococcus faecium / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007711:Klebsiella pneumoniae / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D000069349:Linezolid; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D023303:Oxazolidinones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D013296:Streptococcus pneumoniae / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000081:Acetamides; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D023303:Oxazolidinones; D000069349:Linezolid