Tigecycline in vitro activity against commonly encountered multidrug-resistant Gram-negative pathogens in a Middle Eastern country

The lack of data from the Middle East warranted studying tigecycline in vitro activity in Lebanon against consecutive multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria, including extended-spectrum beta-lactamases producing clinical isolates of Escherichia coli (n = 150), Klebsiella pneumoniae (n = 100), and Acinetobacter spp. (n = 64) using the standard disk diffusion method. Tigecycline-resistant and intermediate findings were as follows: E. coli, 0% and 0%; K. pneumoniae, 3% and 16%; and Acinetobacter spp., 0% and 2%. These values were substantially lower than those determined for amikacin, gentamicin, tobramycin, ciprofloxacin, piperacillin/tazobactam, amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole. This study demonstrates the excellent activity of tigecycline against the increasingly encountered MDR bacteria in Lebanon. The introduction of this effective and viable drug for the initial or recommended treatment of serious infections caused by such highly resistant pathogens is an asset for patients in this country and elsewhere. (C) 2008 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.