In vitro activity of levofloxacin against contemporary clinical isolates of Legionella pneumophila, Mycoplasma pneumoniae and Chlamydia pneumoniae from North America and Europe.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the activities of levofloxacin and the comparator agents erythromycin, clarithromycin, azithromycin and doxycycline against atypical respiratory pathogens. METHODS: One hundred and forty-six Legionella pneumophila, 41 Mycoplasma pneumoniae and nine Chlamydia pneumoniae isolates were procured from various culture collections in North America and Europe and tested for susceptibility to the above agents by broth microdilution. The isolates came primarily from clinical sources and were collected from patients between 1995 and 1999. RESULTS: Against L. pneumophila, levofloxacin was the most active agent, with an MIC(90) of 0.03 mg/L, twofold more active than clarithromycin (0.06 mg/L), 16-fold more active than erythromycin and azithromycin (0.5 mg/L) and 64-fold more active than doxycycline. Against M. pneumoniae, azithromycin (MIC(90) < or = 0.0005 mg/L) was the most active agent. However, two isolates of M. pneumoniae, one from the USA and one from Finland, were macrolide resistant (MIC > or = 4 mg/L), but levofloxacin susceptible (MIC 0.25 mg/L). The geographic origin of L. pneumophila and M. pneumoniae did not affect the MIC range for any antimicrobial agent tested. Against C. pneumoniae, clarithromycin was the most active agent, with an MIC range of < or =0.008-0.03 mg/L. CONCLUSIONS: Levofloxacin had comparable activity to the other agents tested against the atypical respiratory pathogens, confirming its potential as an alternative for empirical therapy of community-acquired pneumonia.