Bacteriological comparison of cefixime in patients with noncomplicated urinary tract infection in Spain - Preliminary results

Clinical failure rates and the overuse of oral antibiotics are particularly acute in the case of non-complicated urinary tract infections (UTIs). Recent preliminary results from a major microbiological study in Spain have indicated significantly increased levels of resistance and insensitivity of isolated pathogens to commonly used antibiotics. Escherichia coli was by far the commonest pathogen isolated. Susceptibility was lowest with amoxicillin plus clavulanic acid, at 65.9% (334 of 507 gram-negative strains isolated). On the other hand, excellent susceptibility was noted with cefixime, corresponding to an MIC of less than or equal to 4 mu g/ml, at 99.2% (504 of 507). The results raise questions about the choice of antibiotics currently used in general practice, and suggest that cefixime may be a better first-line empiric treatment for noncomplicated UTIs.