In-vitro bactericidal activity of cefpirome in combination with vancomycin against Staphylococcus aureus and coagulase-negative staphylococci

In an in-vitro study of the bactericidal activity of cefpirome in combination with vancomycin against 11 clinical isolates of staphylococci, cefpirome at a concentration of 0.25 times the MIC acted synergistically with vancomycin (at a concentration of 0.5, 1 or 2 times the MIC) against Staphylococcus aureus and coagulase-negative staphylococci susceptible or resistant to methicillin. Moreover, increasing the cefpirome concentration to 0.5 or 1 times the MIC combined with vancomycin at the same concentration (0.5 or 1 times the MIC) improved the bacterial killing rate; a bactericidal effect was obtained in 9 or 24 h instead of in 24 or 48 h, respectively.