[Antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of Legionella isolates in the environment and in patients].

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Antimicrobial susceptibility of Legionella spp. has rarely been studied in Korea. Therefore, we aimed to determine the susceptibility of Legionella spp. to various antibiotics.

METHODS:

We assessed the antimicrobial susceptibility of 66 environmental and clinical Legionella isolates collected between January 2001 and December 2008 from Korea and Japan. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of 6 antibiotics, namely, azithromycin, ciprofloxacin, clarithromycin, clindamycin, gatifloxacin, and gemifloxacin were determined by the broth microdilution method using buffered starch yeast extract broth.

RESULTS:

The MIC ranges of the 6 antibiotics used against the Legionella isolates were as follows: 0.004-0.062 microg/mL (azithromycin), 0.002-0.5 microg/mL (ciprofloxacin), 0.004-0.5 microg/mL (clarithromycin), 0.12-4 microg/mL (clindamycin), 0.002-0.12 microg/mL (gatifloxacin), and 0.008-1 microg/mL (gemifloxacin).

CONCLUSIONS:

Legionella spp. isolates from Korea and Japan were most susceptible to gatifloxacin. Azithromycin, clarithromycin, ciprofloxacin, and gemifloxacin were also effective for treating legionellosis.

• Authors: Go Eun Choi, Jeong Eun Kang, Eun Yup Lee, Chulhun L Chang, Kazuhiro Tateda, Keizo Yamaguchi, Kyeong Hee Kim, Jeong Man Kim
• Journal: The Korean journal of laboratory medicine (Korean J Lab Med) Vol. 30 Issue 1 Pg. 28-33 (Feb 2010) ISSN: 1598-6535 [Print] Korea (South)
• PMID: 20197719 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Anti-Bacterial Agents
• Fluoroquinolones
• Naphthyridines
• Clindamycin
• Ciprofloxacin
• Azithromycin
• Clarithromycin
• Gatifloxacin
• Gemifloxacin

Topics

• Anti-Bacterial Agents (pharmacology)
• Azithromycin (pharmacology)
• Ciprofloxacin (pharmacology)
• Clarithromycin (pharmacology)
• Clindamycin (pharmacology)
• Drug Resistance, Bacterial
• Fluoroquinolones (pharmacology)
• Gatifloxacin
• Gemifloxacin
• Humans
• Legionella (drug effects, isolation & purification)
• Legionellosis (diagnosis, microbiology)
• Microbial Sensitivity Tests
• Naphthyridines (pharmacology)