Objectives: To investigate the in vitro activity of the ketolide anti-bacterial telithromycin against a range of commensal bacteria and common aerobic Gram-negative respiratory and non-respiratory pathogens.
Methods: Isolates were derived from both clinical material supplied by centres in various European countries and patients with community-acquired respiratory tract infections (RTIs) from centres worldwide as part of a longitudinal surveillance study. Telithromycin susceptibility testing was conducted using methods in accordance with Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) guidelines and interpreted using CLSI breakpoints.
Results: Telithromycin displayed the highest activity against clinical isolates of Haemophilus spp., Neisseria spp., Bordetella pertussis, Legionella pneumophila and Moraxella catarrhalis, with low activity against a number of other bacterial species, including Acinetobacter spp., Enterobacteriaceae spp., Vibrio spp., Campylobacter jejuni, Aeromonas hydrophila, Plesiomonas shigelloides and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
Conclusions: Telithromycin provides coverage of key Gram-negative respiratory tract pathogens, but has minimal activity against Gram-negative non-respiratory pathogens and commensal bacteria. These data support the use of telithromycin as an alternative empirical therapy for community-acquired RTIs.