- S Iyobe: Laboratory of Drug-resistance in Bacteria, Gunma University School of Medicine.
Some kinds of gram-negative rods cause serious infections in the compromised hosts. The species most frequently isolated in big hospitals are P. aeruginosa, E. coli, K. pneumoniae, E. cloacae, S. marcescens, and H. influenzae. Among these species. P. aeruginosa, E. cloacae and S. marcescens show resistance to many antibacterial agents. The aminoglycoside, such as gentamicin, is effective against these strains but resistant strains are detected at a high frequency for P. aeruginosa. Resistant strains to new quinolones are isolated for both S. marcescens and P. aeruginosa. The third generation cephems are effective against these species but they easily acquire resistance to these drugs. Imipenem and cefclidin are effective and a few resistant strains to the drugs are already detectable in gram-negative rods.