title: Antimicrobial susceptibility of aerobic microorganisms isolated from intraabdominal infections in pediatric patients in Poland.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Growing resistance to antibiotics among both community-acquired and hospital pathogens is making the treatment of most infections increasingly difficult. Therefore, the aim of our multi-center study was to determine the antimicrobial susceptibility of the most frequent aerobic microorganisms isolated from children with intraabdominal infections.
  
  
  METHODS
  Bacterial pathogens were isolated from 256 consecutive patients treated in five large specialized hospitals in Poland from January 2001 to February 2002. Minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of piperacillin, piperacillin-tazobactam, cefotaxime, ceftazidime and cefepime were determined by Etests. The production of extended spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBL) was detected by a double-disk test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Piperacillin-tazobactam was the most active agent against Enterobacteriaceae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, inhibiting 92% and 78% of isolates respectively. Susceptibility of Enterobacteriaceae to cefotaxime, ceftazidime and cefepime was 73%, 73% and 87% respectively, and susceptibility of P. aeruginosa to both ceftazidime and cefepime was 76%. Extended-spectrum beta-lactamases were detected in 56% Klebsiella sp. and 11.5% E. coli, but the vast majority of these isolates remained susceptible to piperacillin-tazobactam (MIC(90) = 12 mg/L and MIC(90) = 1 mg/L, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Piperacillin/tazobactam remains a valuable therapeutic option in Polish pediatric patients with intraabdominal infections, due to its good activity against ESbetaL-producing organisms and P. aeruginosa.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Microbiology and Immunology, Children's Memorial Health Institute, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Katarzyna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Dzierzanowska-Fangrat
authors.forename: Katarzyna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Semczuk
authors.forename: Urszula
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Łopaciuk
authors.forename: Julianna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kurlenda
authors.forename: Eugeniusz
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Małafiej
authors.forename: Elzbieta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Puacz
authors.forename: Ewa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Stalmaska-Dworak
authors.forename: Danuta
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dzierzanowska
mesh_terms: D000005:Abdomen; D000293:Adolescent; D001420:Bacteria, Aerobic / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D004755:Enterobacteriaceae / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007709:Klebsiella / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D010397:Penicillanic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D010878:Piperacillin / Q000494:pharmacology; D000077725:Piperacillin, Tazobactam Drug Combination; D011044:Poland; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification; D001618:beta-Lactamases / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D000077725:Piperacillin, Tazobactam Drug Combination; D010397:Penicillanic Acid; D001618:beta-Lactamases; D010878:Piperacillin