Evaluation of antibiotics for the treatment of bacteremia due to extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing escherichia colif

Abstract

Recently, extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Escherichia coli has been more frequently isolated from blood specimens than in the past. In this study we investigated a panel of therapeutic agents used to treat 37 patients with ESBL-producing E. coli bacteremia. Antimicrobial agents administered as definitive therapy displayed higher effcacy rates than when empiric therapy was administered (effcacy rates, 95.7％ vs. 62.5％). The success rate of carbapenem was 95.8％ (23/24) in patients with ESBL-producing E. coli bacteremia. In addition, the success rate of cefmetazole against ESBL-producing E. coli sensitive to this drug was 87.5％ (7/8). In conclusion, patients at high risk of infection due to ESBL-producing E. coli should be empirically treated with carbapenem antibiotics. In addition, cefmetazole may be a treatment option for patients with ESBL-producing E. coli bacteremia.