Vancomycin versus teicoplanin in the therapy of experimental methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) meningitis

The aim of this study was to compare the antibacterial activity of teicoplanin and vancomycin in the treatment of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) meningitis using a rabbit meningitis model. The MRSA strain ATCC 43300 was used to infect the rabbits. The vancomycin group received 20 mg/kg vancomycin every 12 h (q12h), the teicoplanin group received 6 mg/kg teicoplanin q12h and the control group did not receive any treatment. Drug levels were measured using a bioassay technique. Bacterial counts in the treatment groups were significantly lower (P < 0.05) than those of the control group at 12 h and 24 h after treatment. When the treatment groups were compared, the bacterial counts after 12 h or 24 h of treatment were similar (P > 0.05). These data suggest that the antibacterial activity of vancomycin and teicoplanin are similar in experimental MRSA meningitis of rabbits.