Susceptibility of Yersinia pestis to novel and conventional antimicrobial agents.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the susceptibility of southern African strains of Yersinia pestis to novel as well as conventional antimicrobial agents.


METHODS
The MICs of 28 strains of Yersinia pestis from a southern African plague focus were determined by agar dilution.


RESULTS
The most active agents were cefditoren and the fluoroquinolones, both conventional and novel. The in vitro activity of macrolides was poor against this member of the Enterobacteriaceae.


CONCLUSIONS
Further investigation of the novel quinolones olamufloxacin (HSR 903) and ABT 492 in animal models of plague would seem to be justified.
Frean
John
J
National Institute for Communicable Diseases, National Health Laboratory Service, Johannesburg, South Africa.
Klugman
Keith P
KP
Arntzen
Lorraine
L
Bukofzer
Stanley
S
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D015010:Yersinia pestis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents