Susceptibility testing of clinical isolates of pseudomonas aeruginosa to levofloxacin, moxifloxacin, and gatifloxacin as a guide to treating pseudomonas ocular infections.
OBJECTIVE
Pseudomonas aeruginosa ocular infections most frequently originate from an environmental source; successful treatment with various ocular antibiotics is well established. However, emergence of resistant clones to available antibiotics poses a real threat to successful treatment. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the antibiotic susceptibilities of 100 random clinical isolates of P. aeruginosa to levofloxacin, moxifloxacin, and gatifloxacin, potential agents for the treatment of ocular infections caused by this microorganism.


METHODS
One hundred consecutive strains of P. aeruginosa were isolated from clinical specimens submitted to the clinical microbiology hospital laboratory. Duplicate isolates were not included. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of these isolates were determined by using Etests, performed according to the manufacturer's instructions. American Type Culture Collection (ATCC) strains of Escherichia coli, P. aeruginosa, and Staphylococcus aureus served as reference controls.


RESULTS
Although most isolates were susceptible to levofloxacin, moxifloxacin, and gatifloxacin and the MICs were not significantly different, significant numbers were resistant. The standardized controls rendered expected MICs. The susceptibility of the isolates varied with regard to source, and resistant strains showed increased resistance.


CONCLUSIONS
Based on the data, the treatment of ocular infections caused by P. aeruginosa with levofloxacin, moxifloxacin, and gatifloxacin still has a high likelihood of success. However, six of the isolates collected were resistant to all three of the fluoroquinolones tested. Based on the data, clinicians must be aware that clinical resistance can occur even with the newer fluoroquinolones.
Epstein
Seth P
SP
Department of Ophthalmology, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY 10029-6574, USA.
Bottone
Edward J
EJ
Asbell
Penny A
PA
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D001372:Aza Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology*; D024901:Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial; D015818:Eye Infections, Bacterial / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D024841:Fluoroquinolones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000077734:Gatifloxacin; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D064704:Levofloxacin; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D000077266:Moxifloxacin; D015242:Ofloxacin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011552:Pseudomonas Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D011804:Quinolines / Q000494:pharmacology*
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001372:Aza Compounds; D024841:Fluoroquinolones; D011804:Quinolines; D064704:Levofloxacin; D015242:Ofloxacin; D000077734:Gatifloxacin; D000077266:Moxifloxacin