The Meropenem Yearly Susceptibility Test Information Collection (MYSTIC) Program provides antimicrobial susceptibility data. The
activity of meropenem and 7 broad-spectrum antimicrobials have been examined against 12645 bacterial isolates from 14 European centers
between 1997 and 2002. Cumulative susceptibility rates against all species of Enterobacteriaceae combined were ranked as follows:
meropenem (99.9%) N imipenem (97.7%) N ciprofloxacin (86.0%) N piperacillin–tazobactam (85.6%) N ceftazidime (85.4%) N gentamicin
(85.4%) N tobramycin (85.0%) N cefotaxime (83.8%). The carbapenems were also found to be the most active of the classes tested against
nonfermentative Gram-negative bacilli. Against methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus and coagulase-negative staphylococci, all hlactams
tested (except ceftazidime) had susceptibility rates of z99.0% and z94.3%, respectively. Over the 6-year period, there was no loss
of activity or increase in resistance rate for either carbapenem against any of the species tested. These data confirm the continued potency and
broad-spectrum activity of meropenem in units where it is actively being prescribed.

• Quantitative data - Quantitative data were used during the intervention

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