Background: Resistance of Streptococcus pneumoniae to penicillin is now widespread and rapidly increasing all over the world. This has led to the critical need for alternative antimicrobial therapy.
Methods: To assess the activities of antimicrobial combinations, including cefotaxime, ceftriaxone, vancomycin and meropenem, time-kill studies were conducted against five strains of penicillin- and cephalosporin-resistant S. pneumoniae at clinically achievable antimicrobial concentrations in cerebrospinal fluid.
Results: Combinations of an extended-spectrum cephalosporin with vancomycin were not synergistic. Meropenem had a comparable bactericidal activity to those combinations, and its killing activity was not affected by the addition of cefotaxime, ceftriaxone or vancomycin.
Conclusions: It is suggested that meropenem could be an effective alternative for the treatment of penicillin- and cephalosporin-resistant pneumococcal meningitis. However, more clinical data are required before it can be recommended as an effective antimicrobial agent for such cases.
Copyright 2000 S. Karger AG, Basel