The in vitro susceptibility profile to amikacin, linezolid, clarithromycin, imipenem, cefoxitin, clofazimine and tigecycline was established for 67 strains belonging to the Mycobacterium abscessus complex. Clofazimine and tigecycline were among the most effective drugs, prompting us to assess the effect of a clofazimine and tigecycline combination. Synergistic activity was found in 42% of the 19 isolates tested. The clinical impact of this new drug combination against the M. abscessus complex, as an alternative or sequential medication for the treatment of drug-resistant strains, remains to be addressed.
Keywords: Clofazimine; Mycobacterium abscessus; cystic fibrosis; drug susceptibility; tigecycline.
© 2014 The Authors Clinical Microbiology and Infection © 2014 European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases.