Anaerobic bacteria isolated from foot infections in diabetic patients: in vitro susceptibility to nine antibiotics.

Twenty-nine isolates of anaerobic bacteria from foot infections in diabetic patients were tested, using the agar dilution method, for in vitro susceptibility to nine antimicrobial agents. Imipenem and metronidazole showed excellent activity; clindamycin and chloramphenicol were next in terms of efficacy. Cefoxitin and moxalactam demonstrated good activity, although three isolates of the Bacteroides fragilis group were resistant to moxalactam. Penicillin G, cefotaxime, and cefoperazone showed poor activity against the B fragilis group but were quite active against other anaerobes. Among the newer beta-lactam antibiotics studied, imipenem, cefoxitin and, to a lesser extent, moxalactam appear promising for clinical use as anti-anaerobic antibiotics in the treatment of foot infections in diabetic patients.