Nocardiosis typically requires a prolonged treatment duration of ≥6 months and initial combination therapy with 2-3 antibiotics. First-line regimens for nocardiosis are associated with considerable toxicity; therefore, alternative therapies are needed. Omadacycline is an aminomethylcycline with broad antimicrobial activity whose in vitro activity against Nocardia species has not been formally assessed. The in vitro potency of omadacycline was evaluated against 300 Nocardia clinical isolates by broth microdilution. The most common Nocardia species tested were N. cyriacigeorgica (21%), N. nova (20%), and N. farcinica (12%). The most common specimens were respiratory (178 isolates, 59%) and wound (57 isolates, 19%). Omadacycline minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) across all Nocardia species ranged from 0.06 µg/mL to 8 µg/mL, with an MIC50 of 2 µg/mL and MIC90 of 4 µg/mL. The lowest MICs were found among N. paucivorans (MIC50 = 0.25 µg/mL, MIC90 = 0.25 µg/mL), N. asiatica (MIC50 = 0.25 µg/mL, MIC90 = 1 µg/mL), N. abscessus complex (MIC50 = 0.5 µg/mL, MIC90 = 1 µg/mL), N. beijingensis (MIC50 = 0.5 µg/mL, MIC90 = 2 µg/mL), and N. otitidiscaviarum (MIC50 = 1 µg/mL, MIC90 = 2 µg/mL). The highest MICs were found among N. farcinica (MIC50 = 4 µg/mL, MIC90 = 8 µg/mL). In vitro potency differed by species among Nocardia clinical isolates. Further studies are warranted to evaluate the potential clinical utility of omadacycline for nocardiosis.
Keywords: Nocardia; antimicrobial susceptibility; omadacycline.