title: Antimicrobial susceptibilities of Francisella tularensis subsp. holarctica strains isolated from humans in the Central Anatolia region of Turkey.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the in vitro susceptibility of Francisella tularensis subsp. holarctica biovar II strains to 24 antimicrobial agents.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-nine F. tularensis strains isolated from humans in the Central Anatolia region of Turkey were examined. Each isolate was identified by conventional and molecular techniques. MICs of aminoglycosides, tetracyclines, fluoroquinolones, macrolides, penicillins, cephalosporins, imipenem, clindamycin, linezolid, chloramphenicol and rifampicin were determined using the Etest method on glucose/cysteine blood agar plates. Interpretation of results was made according to CLSI clinical breakpoints.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All strains were susceptible to aminoglycosides, tetracyclines, chloramphenicol, rifampicin and three fluoroquinolones. In contrast, resistance to penicillins, cephalosporins, carbapenems, macrolides and clindamycin was observed for all isolates. Fluoroquinolones had the lowest MIC(50) and MIC(90).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  All strains were susceptible to the antibiotics traditionally used to treat tularaemia, such as streptomycin (MIC(90) 1.5 mg/L), gentamicin (MIC(90) 0.25 mg/L), tetracycline (MIC(90) 0.38 mg/L) and chloramphenicol (MIC(90) 0.25 mg/L). Since fluoroquinolones showed the lowest MIC values, and have important advantages over aminoglycosides, including ease of oral administration and lower toxicities, quinolones have the potential for being effective first-line therapy for tularaemia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, Sorgun State Hospital, Yozgat, Turkey.
authors.forename: Murat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yesilyurt
authors.forename: Selçuk
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kiliç
authors.forename: Bekir
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Celebi
authors.forename: Mesure
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Celik
authors.forename: Serdar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gül
authors.forename: Fikret
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Erdogan
authors.forename: Gönül
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ozel
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005604:Francisella tularensis / Q000145:classification / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D014406:Tularemia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents