Maintenance of antimicrobial susceptibility of Acinetobacter baumannii in modeled microgravity.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of a modeled microgravity environment on the antimicrobial resistance of Acinetobacter baumannii.


METHODS
Clinical isolates of A. baumannii (n=10) in Mueller Hinton broth were grown in high aspect ratio vessels using a rotary cell culture system oriented to achieve either normal earth gravity (1 x G) or low sheer modeled microgravity (LSMMG) conditions. After culture MICs were determined by Etest. Antimicrobials included in the study were amikacin, ampicillin/sulbactam, azithromycin, ceftazidime, gatifloxacin, gentamicin, imipenem, meropenem, minocycline, ticarcillin/clavulanic acid, tigecycline, and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole. Results were compared for MIC value and category interpretation (S, I, R).


RESULTS
Overall category agreement was 100% (360/360). 100% of MIC values compared were within one twofold dilution of each other.


CONCLUSIONS
Under these test conditions LSMMG had no apparent effect on the resistance pattern of A. baumannii.
Hensley
Donna M
DM
59th MDW/SGVUL, 59th Clinical Research Division, Lackland AFB, TX 78236-9908, USA. donna.hensley@lackland.af.mil
D040981:Acinetobacter baumannii / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001431:Bacteriological Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D018561:Space Simulation; D014893:Weightlessness
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents