In vitro activity of tigecycline and 10 other antimicrobials against clinical isolates of the genus Corynebacterium.

We studied the in vitro activity of tigecycline and 10 other commonly used antibiotics against 135 clinical isolates of non-diphtheria Corynebacterium spp. using the Etest system. Tigecycline minimum inhibitory concentrations for 50% and 90% of the organisms (MIC(50) and MIC(90) values, respectively, in mg/L) were: Corynebacterium urealyticum, 0.094 and 0.125; Corynebacterium amycolatum, 0.125 and 2; Corynebacterium jeikeium, 0.094 and 0.75; Corynebacterium coyleae, 0.064 and 0.064; Corynebacterium striatum, 0.064 and 1; Corynebacterium aurimucosum, 0.094 and 0.125; and Corynebacterium afermentans, 0.064 and 0.094. The activities of all other antimicrobials were variable, with good activity of glycopeptides, linezolid, quinupristin/dalfopristin and daptomycin and with resistance to macrolides in a high number of isolates. Tigecycline is a good alternative for the therapy of infections caused by non-diphtheria corynebacteria.