In vitro activity of novel fluoroquinolones against Streptococcus pneumoniae isolated from children with acute otitis media.

BACKGROUND

In recent years, novel fluoroquinolones with improved activity against gram-positive organisms have been introduced into clinical practice. These drugs may be of potential benefit for the treatment of pneumococcal otitis media, including infections caused by organisms resistant to conventional drugs.

METHODS

In vitro activity of 6 fluoroquinolones against 77 pneumococcal isolates from middle-ear fluid was determined by the E test.

RESULTS

Resistance to penicillin, co-trimoxazole, erythromycin, clindamycin, and tetracycline was present in 59 (76.6%), 47 (61.0%), 19 (24.7%), 11 (14.3%), and 17 (22.1%) isolates, respectively. Fluoroquinolone MIC(50) and MIC(90) (in microg/ml) were as follows: ciprofloxacin: 1.0 and 3.0, levofloxacin: 0.75 and 1.0, sparfloxacin: 0.25 and 0.38, grepafloxacin: 0.25 and 0.38, trovafloxacin: 0.094 and 0.125, and moxifloxacin: 0.19 and 0.25, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Novel fluoroquinolones and especially trovafloxacin and moxifloxacin appear to be of potential value for the treatment of acute otitis media caused by pneumococci resistant to traditional antibiotics.