Antimicrobial Activity of Prulifloxacin Tested against a Worldwide Collection of Gastroenteritis-Producing Pathogens, Including Those Causing Traveler's Diarrhea

Abstract

ABSTRACT Prulifloxacin, the prodrug of ulifloxacin (active component), is a newer fluoroquinolone with broad activity against enteric and nonenteric gram-negative bacilli. Ulifloxacin and other oral comparator agents were tested for activity against 582 gastroenteritis strains from global surveillance studies. Ulifloxacin was highly active against Escherichia coli , Salmonella spp., Shigella spp., Yersinia spp., Vibrio spp., Aeromonas spp., and Plesiomonas spp. (MIC 50 s and MIC 90 s, ≤0.03 μg/ml and ≤0.06 μg/ml, respectively). Only rare Aeromonas spp., Campylobacter spp., and E. coli displayed elevated MIC results (≥4 μg/ml). Ciprofloxacin exhibited similar activity but was two- to fourfold less potent. Presently approved for clinical use in certain European countries and Japan, ulifloxacin was the most active of the antimicrobial agents tested against these gastroenteritis-causing pathogens.