title: Antimicrobial activity of ceftaroline and other anti-infective agents against microbial pathogens recovered from the surgical intensive care patient population: a prevalence analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Ceftaroline is a new parenteral cephalosporin agent with excellent activity against methicillin-sensitive (MSSA) and resistant strains of Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Critically ill surgical patients are susceptible to infection, often by multi-drug-resistant pathogens. The activity of ceftaroline against such pathogens has not been described.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three hundred thirty-five consecutive microbial isolates were collected from surgical wounds or abscesses, respiratory, urine, and blood cultures from patients in the surgical intensive care unit (SICU) of a major tertiary medical center. Using Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) standard methodology and published breakpoints, all aerobic, facultative anaerobic isolates were tested against ceftaroline and selected comparative antimicrobial agents.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All staphylococcal isolates were susceptible to ceftaroline at a breakpoint of ≤1.0 mcg/mL. In addition, ceftaroline exhibited excellent activity against all streptococcal clinical isolates and non-ESBL-producing strains of Enterobacteriaceae (93.5%) recovered from SICU patients. Ceftaroline was inactive against ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, vancomycin-resistant enterococci, and selective gram-negative anaerobic bacteria.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  At present, ceftaroline is the only cephalosporin agent that is active against community and healthcare-associated MRSA. Further studies are needed to validate the benefit of this novel broad-spectrum anti-infective agent for the treatment of susceptible serious infections in the SICU patient population.
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Surgery (Division of Vascular Surgery), Medical College of Wisconsin , Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
authors.forename: Charles E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Edmiston
authors.forename: Candace J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Krepel
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Leaper
authors.forename: Nathan A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Ledeboer
authors.forename: Tami-Lea
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Mackey
authors.forename: Mary Beth
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Graham
authors.forename: Cheong
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Peter J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Rossi
authors.forename: Kellie R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: Brian D
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.forename: Gary R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Seabrook
mesh_terms: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D002511:Cephalosporins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003422:Critical Care; D006801:Humans; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D015995:Prevalence; D000097583:Ceftaroline
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D002511:Cephalosporins; D000097583:Ceftaroline