Activities of linezolid against rapidly growing mycobacteria

Linezolid is an oxazolidinone available as an oral drug which has activity against most gram-positive bacteria. However, few species of the genus Mycobacterium have been studied. We tested 249 clinical isolates and 10 reference strains of rapidly growing mycobacteria for susceptibility to linezolid by broth microdilution, Clinical species included the Mycobacterium fortuitum group (n = 74), M. abscessus (n = 98), M. chelonae (n = 50), M. mucogenicum (n = 10), and M. fortuitum third biovariant complex (10). The modal MIC for M. mucogenicum was 1.0 mug/ml, and the MIC at which 90% of the isolates tested are inhibited (MIC90) was 4 mug/ml; the modal MIC for the M. fortuitum group was 4 mug/ml, and the MIC90 was 16 mug/ml; the modal MIC for the M. fortuitum third biovariant complex was 4 mug/ml, and the MIC90, was 8 mug/ml; the modal MIC for M. chelonae was 8 mug/ml, and the MIC90 was 16 mug/ml; and the modal MIC for M. abscessus was 32 mug/ml, and the MIC90 was 64 mug/ml. Based on peak levels of linezolid in serum of 15 to 20 mug/ml, we propose the following broth MIC breakpoints for these species: susceptible, less than or equal to 8 mug/ml; moderately susceptible, 16 mug/ml; and resistant,; greater than or equal to 32 mug/ml). These studies demonstrate the excellent potential of linezolid for therapy of rapidly growing mycobacteria.