Antimicrobial susceptibility of blood culture isolates of viridans streptococci: relationship to a change in empirical antibiotic therapy in febrile neutropenia

Kennedy, H.F., Gemmell, C.G., Bagg, J. , Gibson, B.E.S. and Michie, J.R. (2001) Antimicrobial susceptibility of blood culture isolates of viridans streptococci: relationship to a change in empirical antibiotic therapy in febrile neutropenia. Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, 47(5), 693 -696. (doi: 10.1093/jac/47.5.693)

Full text not currently available from Enlighten.

Publisher's URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/jac/47.5.693

Abstract

This study investigated the antibiotic susceptibilities of 67 isolates of viridans streptococci from 61 cases of bacteraemia in immunocompromised paediatric patients with malignancy. The majority of patients (87%) had received prior courses of empirical antibiotic therapy, which consisted of ceftazidime plus amikacin during period 1 and piperacillin/tazobactam plus amikacin during period 2. Susceptibility to vancomycin and quinupristin/dalfopristin was 100%. Susceptibility to ß-lactam antibiotics varied. For period 1, the geometric mean MICs of all ß-lactams tested against blood culture isolates (n = 31) exceeded those against isolates (n = 36) collected from blood after the change in empirical therapy (by 3.3-fold for ceftazidime, 2.8-fold for piperacillin/tazobactam and 1.6-fold for penicillin). The selection of a ß-lactam antibiotic for empirical therapy must be made with care, as repeated courses of certain agents may be more likely to select for viridans streptococci with diminished susceptibility.

Item Type:Articles
Status:Published
Refereed:Yes
Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID:Gemmell, Professor Curtis and Bagg, Professor Jeremy and Gibson, Professor Brenda
Authors: Kennedy, H.F., Gemmell, C.G., Bagg, J., Gibson, B.E.S., and Michie, J.R.
Subjects:R Medicine > RK Dentistry
College/School:College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences
College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Medicine, Dentistry & Nursing
College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Medicine, Dentistry & Nursing > Dental School
Journal Name:Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy
Publisher:Oxford University Press
ISSN:0305-7453
ISSN (Online):1460-2091

University Staff: Request a correction | Enlighten Editors: Update this record