Objective: Tigecycline which is a minocycline derivative, is the first glycylcycline antibiotic approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The drug is active against many gram-positive and gram-negative organisms, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, vancomycin-resistant enterococci and extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae. The aim of this study was to determine the in vitro activity of tigecycline against ESBL producing E. coli strains.

Materials and Methods: A total of 122 E. coli strains isolated from clinical specimens were included in this study. All isolates were screened by the double disc synergy test for ESBL production. In vitro susceptibility against tigecycline was tested by the E-test method and disc diffusion method according to CLSI guidelines.

Results: ESBL production was detected in 57 E. coli isolates. ESBL positivity was 45.1% among the hospital acquired strains and 47.9% among the community-acquired strains. 100% of the ESBL producing E. coli isolates were susceptible to tigecycline.

Conclusion: It was concluded that tigecycline exhibited has high in-vitro activity on ESBL producing E coli strains.