The aim of a multicentre controlled study conducted in 42 medical centers in 13 European countries was to assess the spectrum of activity and antimicrobial activity of linezolid, a representative of a new class of antimicrobial preparations of oxazolidinones.

In each center, the sensitivity of 125 clinical strains of enterococci and staphylococci to 13 antimicrobial agents was determined by dilution in broth or by disc diffusion method in accordance with NCCLS standards.

A total of 5598 strains were tested. The percentage of strains resistant to vancomycin E.faecalis and E.faecium was 0.6 and 3.0% respectively. Resistance to penicillin was detected in 25.1% S.pneumoniae, 4.9% of the strains having a high resistance level (more than 2 mg / l). The MPC90 for linezolid was 1 mg / l for streptococci, 2 mg / l for enterococci and staphylococci. Using the IPC limit values recommended by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Commission for the Determination of Antibiotic Sensitivity (EUCAST), the researchers found that there was not a single confirmed case of resistance to linezolid (CPI greater than 8 mg / l). The distribution of strains in the population according to the value of linezolid IPC was monomodal and varied between 0.25 and 1 ml / l for streptococci (more than 90% of the strains), from 1 to 2 mg / l for staphylococci (more than 90% of the strains) and enterococci (more than 95% of the strains).

There was no difference in susceptibility to linezolid in Gram-positive microorganisms resistant to vancomycin, oxacillin and penicillin compared to strains sensitive to AMP data.

Compared to the results of studies conducted in North America, in Europe, there were significantly fewer cases of vancomycin resistant strains of E.faecium (Europe - 3.0%, North America North - 63.4%). At the same time, the incidence rate of penicillin-resistant strains of S. pneumoniae in Europe and North America was approximately the same (25.1% vs 29.7%, respectively). The number of penicillin-resistant strains with a high level of resistance in North America was approximately three times higher than in Europe (4.9% vs 13.2%). And only linezolid was active against all the strains of gram-positive microorganisms tested (less than 4 mg / l).