Antimicrobial susceptibility among important pathogens collected as part of the Tigecycline Evaluation and Surveillance Trial (T.E.S.T.) in Spain, 2004-2014

Here we report in vitro activity data from the Tigecycline Evaluation and Surveillance Trial (T.E.S.T.) for tigecycline and comparators against Gram-positive and Gram-negative organisms collected from 27 medical centres in Spain between 2004 and 2014. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) were determined according to the broth microdilution methodology of the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) and susceptibility were determined according to European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (EUCAST) interpretive criteria. Susceptibility was >97% for all antimicrobials tested against Enterococcus faecalis, and >98% of Enterococcus faecium tested were susceptible to tigecycline, linezolid and vancomycin. A total of 34.1% (1071/3143) of Staphylococcus aureus were meticillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), and all MRSA were susceptible to tigecycline and vancomycin. Among the Streptococcus pneumoniae, 5.2% (74/1430) were penicillin-resistant and all isolates were susceptible to linezolid and vancomycin. Among the Enterobacteriaceae, 17.1% (542/3167) of Escherichia coli, 2.8% (19/682) of Klebsiella oxytoca and 19.0% (441/2327) of Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates produced extend-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs). Against ESBL-producing E. coli and K. pneumoniae, susceptibility was highest for meropenem, amikacin and tigecycline with rates of >92% and >80%, respectively. Among the Acinetobacter baumannii, susceptibility ranged between 23.5% for levofloxacin and 51.4% for amikacin, and an MIC90 of 2 mg/L was observed for tigecycline. In conclusion, monitoring of antimicrobial susceptibility among organisms such as S. aureus, Enterobacteriaceae and A. baumannii is of continuing importance as a guide to clinicians. Depending on the organism to be treated, carbapenems, linezolid, vancomycin and tigecycline continue to be active in Spain.