ABSTRACT
Background & objectives: Treatment of serious life threatening infections due to multi-drug resistant pathogens presents a difficult challenge due to the limited therapeutic options. Therefore, we studied the in vitro susceptibility of tigecycline, a new glycylcycline with promising broad spectrum of activity against Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria at a tertiary care hospital in north India. Methods: A total of 75 multi-drug resistant isolates of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (21), vancomycin resistant enterococci (14), vancomycin resistant Streptococcus spp. (3), extended spectrum β lactamase producing Gram negative bacteria (11) and multi-resistant Acinetobacter spp. (26) were tested for tigecycline susceptibility by the E- test and disc diffusion methods. An additional 83 multi-resistant Gram negative clinical isolates were screened by disc diffusion method alone. Results: All the isolates of MRSA, VRE, vancomycin resistant Streptococcus spp. and ESBL producing enteric bacteria were sensitive to tigecycline by the E-test and disc diffusion methods. However, only 42 per cent of Acinetobacter spp. were found to be sensitive to tigecycline by the E-test method. Interpretation & conclusions: In conclusion, tigecycline was found to be highly effective against Gram- positive bacteria and Gram-negative members of Enterobacteriaceae, but a high prevalence of resistance in members of Acinetobacter spp. is worrisome.