Comparison of the in vitro sensitivity of respiratory pathogens to roxithromycin, amoxicillin and amoxicillin + clavulanic acid

Abstract

In India the information on trends of respiratory pathogens and their susceptibility to antibiotics used are lacking. Physicians resort to empiric therapy with antibiotics which has resulted in the emergence of antimicrobial resistance among the principal pathogens This study was conducted to compare the resistance patterns among the common respiratory pathogens: S.pneumoniae, S.aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Hemophilus influenzae, Moraxella catarrhalis to roxithromycin, amoxicillin and amoxicillin + clavulanic acid. Materials and Methods: Samples of sputum were collected from 50 patients with pneumonia and bronchitis who were admitted to tertiary care hospital in a metro city in West India and from patients who presented with respiratory tract infections to the O.P.D. The Kirby Bauer disc diffusion method was used to evaluate the susceptibility of the isolated pathogens to the antibiotics. Results: Roxithromycin demonstrated a significantly higher sensitivity to isolated organisms compared to amoxicillin. Roxithromycin was found to be sensitive for isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae, even when 3 samples were resistant to amoxicillin and 1 sample was resistant to amoxicillin + clavulanic acid. Conclusion: Roxithromycin can be a good alternative option for the management of upper and lower respiratory tract infections in the community.