Antibacterial activity of aztreonam: a synthetic monobactam. A comparative study with thirteen other antibiotics.

The in vitro activity of aztreoman (SQ 26, 776), a new monocyclic beta-lactam antimicrobial agent, was determined against 1720 bacteria, all clinical isolates, and compared with that of thirteen beta-lactam and aminoglycoside antibiotics. Aztreonam inhibited 90% of Citrobacter diversus, Citrobacter freundii, Enterobacter agglomerans, E. coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Proteus mirabilis, Proteus morganii, Proteus rettgeri, Proteus vulgaris and Salmonella sp. by less than or equal to 0.4 micrograms ml-1. This activity was superior to moxalactam, piperacillin, cefamandole, cefoperazone, cefoxitin, cefsulodin, ceftazidime and aminoglycoside antibiotics. Aztreonam was as active as moxalactam against Enterobacter aerogenes, Enterobacter cloacae and Shigella species. Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains resistant to moxalactam, piperacillin, cefamandole, cefoperazone, cefotaxime, cefoxitin, cefsulodin and ceftazidime were inhibited by aztreonam 50% by 6.3 micrograms ml-1 and 90% by 16 micrograms ml-1. Aztreonam was as active as ceftazidime against Serratia marcescens, all strains were inhibited by 3.1 micrograms ml-1 and 90% by 1.6 micrograms ml-1. There was no major difference between MBC and MIC values of aztreonam and the effect of inoculum size upon MIC values was observed at 10(7) CFU.