[Antimicrobial activity of meropenem against main bacterial species isolated from patient blood in 2008].

We examined the antimicrobial activities of meropenem and other antibiotics against main bacteria isolated from patient blood in Keio university hospital between January and November in 2008. A total of 187 isolates, including 43 Escherichia coli, 23 Klebsiella pneumoniae, 9 Enterobacter cloacae, 22 Pseudomonas aeruginosa, 16 methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA), 24 methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), 50 Staphylococcus epidermidis were tested. Meropenem showed the potent and stable antibacterial activity against Gram-negative bacteria especially compared with our previous testing data. These results suggested that meropenem was first-line antibiotic for serious infections, although over 12 years passed after meropenem was approved in Japan.