Nosocomial bacterial infections are a major cause of morbidity in hospitalized patients. Meropenem, a new antibiotic from carbapenem group, is being used frequently the treatment of such infections. The activity of meropenem on 75 bacteria isolated from Thoracic and Cardiovascular surgery Intensive Care Unit. Investigation made by using “broth microdilution method”.

The MIC₅₀ and MIC₉₀ values of meporenem for Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter spp., methicillin ressitant and sensitive Staphylococcus aureus, methicillin resistant and sensitive Staphylococcus epidermis strains were found to be 4 and 32 μg/ml; 0.5 and 2 μg/ml; 4 and 16 μg/ml; 16 and 32 μg/ml; 4 and 16 μg/ml; 16 and 64 μg/ml; 2 and 8 μg/ml respectively. It has been detected that 8 strains of (72%) P.aeruginosa, 17 strains of (94%) Acinetobacter spp., 4 strains of (40%) methicillin resistant S.aureus, 5 strains of (63%) methicillin sensitive S.aureus, 4 strains of (40%) methicillin resistant S.epidermidis, 5 strains of (100%) methicillin sensitive S.epidermidis (100%) were sensitive to meropenem.

We think that Gram (-) bacterias and methicillin sensitive staphylococ species are sensitive to meropenem, but cases have to be chosen carefully because of the resistance problem