Antimicrobial activities of ceftaroline and ME1036 tested against clinical strains of community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus

Two investigational anti-methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (anti-MRSA) beta-lactams, ceftarolline (a cephalosporin) and ME1036 (a carbapenem), were subjected to susceptibility testing by reference broth microdillution methods using 152 strains of community-acquired MRSA from the United States (47 medical centers). Ceftaroline and ME1036 were 64- and >128-fold more potent than ceftriaxone, respectively. All isolates had the Panton-Valentine leukocidin genes and staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec type IV, while 67.8% of isolates displayed pulsed-field gel electrophoresis clonal type USA300-0114.