Telavancin activity tested against Gram-positive clinical isolates from European, Russian and Israeli hospitals (2011–2013) using a revised broth microdilution testing method: redefining the baseline activity of telavancin

OBJECTIVES: To reassess the activity of telavancin when tested against Gram-positive clinical pathogens recovered from hospitalized patients in European and adjacent regions using a revised broth microdilution method. METHODS: 11 601 consecutive, non-duplicate isolates originating from 36 institutions among 18 countries recovered between 2011 and 2013 were tested for susceptibility using a revised broth microdilution method for telavancin. Interpretive telavancin breakpoints appropriate for the method were those recently approved by the FDA and EUCAST, as available. RESULTS: Telavancin (MIC50/90, 0.03/0.06 mg/l; 100.0% susceptible) was equally potent against methicillin-susceptible ((MSSA) and methicillin-resistant (MRSA) Staphylococcus aureus. All Enterococcus faecalis was susceptible to telavancin (MIC50/90, 0.12/0.12 mg/l) and inhibited at the susceptibility breakpoint (i.e. ≤ 0.25 mg/l), except for VanA-phenotype vancomycin-resistant isolates (telavancin MIC, >1 mg/l). Telavancin ( ≤ 0.015/0.03 mg/l) was active against vancomycin-susceptible Enterococcus faecium, while higher MIC values were obtained for VanA strains. Telavancin (both MIC50 and MIC90, ≤ 0.015 mg/l) was potent against Streptococcus pneumoniae, beta-haemolytic streptococci (MIC50/90, ≤ 0.015/0.06 mg/l) and viridans group streptococci (MIC50/90, ≤ 0.015/0.03 mg/l). CONCLUSIONS: Telavancin exhibited potent activity against this contemporary (2011-2013) collection of organisms, inhibiting indicated pathogens at or below the FDA/EUCAST-approved breakpoints for susceptibility. VanA-phenotype enterococci were less susceptible to telavancin, a feature observed using the previous testing method. These results redefine telavancin's activity against isolates from Europe.