Comparative activity in vitro of 16 antimicrobial agents against penicillin-susceptible meningococci and meningococci with diminished susceptibility to penicillin.

Broad-spectrum cephalosporins were very active against strains of Neisseria meningitidis with both penicillin susceptibility and diminished penicillin susceptibility. Ceftriaxone was the most active antibiotic. Increases in MIC for 90% of meningococci with diminished susceptibility to penicillin of greater than or equal to 16-fold were observed for amdinocillin, cefuroxime, aztreonam, and imipenem; 2-fold increases were observed for ceftazidime, mezlocillin, and piperacillin. No differences were observed for non-beta-lactam antibiotics.