Kenneth V.I. Rolston

Owing to the predominance of gram-positive pathogens in neutropenic cancer patients, newer generation quinolones with an expanded gram-positive spectrum and enhanced potency, may have a role to play for prophylaxis and/or empiric therapy in such patients. The in vitro activity of gatifloxacin was compared with that of ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin and trovafloxacin against 848 recent clinical isolates from cancer patients. Against gram-positive organisms, gatifloxacin was the most active agent tested inhibiting all Aerococcus, Listeria monocytogens, Micrococcus, Stomatococcus mucilaginous, Bacillus, and Rhodococcus equi strains at ≤2 mg/l, its designated susceptibility breakpoint. It was also very active against methicillin-susceptible staphylococci and Streptococcus spp. (including penicillin nonsusceptible Streptococcus pneumoniae and viridans streptococci). It had moderate activity against methicillin-resistant staphylococci and Enterococcus faecalis, inhibiting 68–80% of these strains at ≤2 mg/l. Gatifloxacin also had good activity against the Enterobacteriaceae (although ciprofloxacin was more potent) inhibiting >95% of isolates at ≤1 mg/l. Nonfermentative gram-negative organisms were less susceptible to all 4 agents. Gatifloxacin was very active against Acinetobacter lwoffi (MIC100 0.12 mg/l) and had moderate activity against Acinetobacter baumanii, Chryseobacterium spp., Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and other Pseudomonas species. Alcaligenes xylosoxidans strains were relatively resistant to all 4 agents.

Sir—We read with great interest the data presented by Wisplinghoff et al. [1] on current trends in the epidemiology of nosocomial bloodstream infections in pati