In vitro susceptibilities of aerobic and facultative Gram-negative bacilli isolated from patients with intra-abdominal infections in the Asia–Pacific region: 2004 results from SMART (Study for Monitoring Antimicrobial Resistance Trends)

In the 2004 Study for Monitoring Antimicrobial Resistance Trends (SMART), 14 centres from six countries in Asia–Pacific collected 1198 unique aerobic and facultative Gram-negative bacilli from intra-abdominal infections for susceptibility testing to 12 antimicrobial agents. Enterobacteriaceae comprised 82% of the total isolates. Escherichia coli was the most commonly isolated species (43%). Resistance rates were generally higher in Enterobacteriaceae isolated from Asian centres than those isolated from Oceania centres. There was little difference in susceptibility rates between community- and hospital-acquired Enterobacteriaceae for carbapenems. Extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producers typically had a more resistant profile than non-ESBL-producers, but were usually susceptible to carbapenems. Of the antimicrobial agents tested, carbapenems were the most reliably active in vitro against Enterobacteriaceae recovered from patients in Asia–Pacific with intra-abdominal infections.