title: Antimicrobial susceptibility of Bacteroides fragilis group isolates in Europe.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the activity of old and newer antianaerobic drugs against clinical isolates of Bacteroides fragilis group strains from different parts of Europe.
  
  
  METHODS
  Bacteroides fragilis group isolates from 37 laboratories in 19 countries were biochemically characterized. The MICs of seven antimicrobial agents were determined by the agar dilution method as recommended by the NCCLS. Production of beta-lactamase was detected by nitrocefin.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 1284 B. fragilis group isolates included in the study. Abdominal infections and wounds were the most common sources of isolation and B. fragilis was the dominating species. Ninety-nine percent of the strains were resistant to ampicillin (breakpoint 2 mg/L), 6% to cefoxitin (64 mg/L), 15% to clindamycin (8 mg/L) and 9% to moxifloxacin (8 mg/L). Less than 1% were resistant to imipenem (16 mg/L), piperacillin-tazobactam (128 mg/L) and metronidazole (32 mg/L). Ninety-six percent of the isolates were beta-lactamase producers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Antimicrobial resistance among the B. fragilis group is increasing.
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hedberg
authors.forename: C E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Nord
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001441:Bacteroides fragilis / Q000187:drug effects*; D005060:Europe; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents