title: Antimicrobial resistance among non-fermentative Gram-negative bacilli isolated from the respiratory tracts of Italian inpatients: a 3-year surveillance study by the Italian Epidemiological Survey.
abstract: The Italian Epidemiological Survey evaluated antibiotic susceptibility of non-fermentative Gram-negative bacilli isolated from inpatient respiratory-tract specimens collected throughout Italy during 1997-1999. The minimal inhibitory concentrations of 14 antibiotics for 1474 Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains, 307 Stenotrophomonas maltophilia strains and 114 Acinetobacter baumannii strains were determined in 57 clinical microbiology laboratories by means of a standardised micro-dilution method. The most active drugs against P. aeruginosa isolates were meropenem (81% susceptible) and amikacin (80% susceptible). Imipenem and meropenem proved to be the only agents active against A. baumannii isolates, although 13 and 16%, respectively, of strains were resistant to these drugs. Trimethoprim-sulphamethoxazole (TMP-SMZ) showed activity only against S. maltophilia isolates (83% susceptible). A total of 185 multidrug-resistant P. aeruginosa isolates (resistant to piperacillin, ceftazidime, gentamicin, and imipenem) were found. Resistance rates and trends showed consistent regional variations, including sharp increases from 1997 to 1999 in imipenem resistance among P. aeruginosa isolates from central and southern Italy.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Microbiology, Catholic University of the Sacred Hearth, Largo F. Vito 1, 00168 Rome, Italy. giovannifadda@rm.unicatt.it
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fadda
authors.forename: Teresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Spanu
authors.forename: Fausta
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ardito
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Taddei
authors.forename: Rosaria
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Santangelo
authors.forename: Alessia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Siddu
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ciccaglione
mesh_terms: D000151:Acinetobacter Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D040981:Acinetobacter baumannii / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016905:Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D011552:Pseudomonas Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D020615:Stenotrophomonas maltophilia / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification