The susceptibility of Gram-negative bacterial strains (n=400) isolated from clinical specimens of children hospitalized in a Polish intensive care unit (ICU) between 1997 and 2000 was tested. Meropenem, imipenem and ciprofloxacin were most active (>90% susceptibility) against the tested isolates, with no observed reduction in activity over 4 years. Extended-spectrum beta-lactamases and AmpC beta-lactamase producers among Enterobacteriaceae isolates from this ICU continued to be a serious therapeutic problem, although the carbapenems were highly active against these resistance phenotypes. Resistance to aminoglycosides (gentamicin, tobramycin) and ceftazidime was a characteristic of >40% of tested isolates.