In-vitro activity of 21 antimicrobial agents against Neisseria gonorrhoeae in Brussels

The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of 21 antimicrobial agents was measured for 80 strains of Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolated in Brussels in 1978. Bimodal distributions were found for penicillin G, ampicillin, amoxycillin, carbenicillin, and cephalexin. Of the strains, 17.5% were relatively resistant to penicillin G (MIC greater than 0.08 microgram/ml) 27.5% to ampicillin (MIC greater than 0.16 microgram/ml), 23.8% to amoxycillin, and 43.3% to carbenicillin. Cefotaxime was the most active antibiotic, with MICs in the nanogram range; 3.8% and 5% of the strains were relatively resistant to cephaloridine and cephalexin respectively, but no strains were resistant to cefazolin, cefuroxime, or cefotaxime. Resistance to tetracycline, doxycycline, minocycline, erythromycin, and spiramycin (MIC greater than 1 microgram/ml) was found in 6.3%, 2.5%, 5%, and 51.3% of the strains respectively. A very good correlation was present between chloramphenicol and thiamphenicol, with 16.3% and 10% of relatively resistant strains respectively. Only two isolates showed an MIC greater than 1.25 microgram/ml for rifampicin, and 10% of the strains needed greater than or equal to 12 microgram/ml of spectinomycin for complete inhibition of growth. A very high energy was found for the 20 : 1 combination of sulphamethoxazole and trimethoprim, with only one isolate resistant to this combination. None of the strains tested produced beta-lactamase.