Although meropenem is a broad spectrum antibiotic that covers many gram-negative and gram-positive organisms as well as anaerobes, its activity against enterococci is generally poor and leaves much to be desired.

In a study of ampicillin-sensitive E. faecalis isolates from hospitalized patients, only 36% of isolates were considered susceptible (MIC≤4 mg/L); activity against E. faecium isolates was similarly poor.¹ Several other studies have reported the suboptimal activity of meropenem against both E. faecalis and E. faecium, ^2-4 with susceptibility rates as low as 8.6% depending on the MIC break point used.³

A popular textbook and a handbook on infectious diseases also do not recommend the use of meropenem for treatment of enterococcal infections. ^5,6

Of interest, the package insert states that meropenem is indicated for complicated skin and soft tissue infections due to a variety of organisms, including E. faecalis (vancomycin-susceptible isolates only), but not for complicated intra-abdominal infections or meningitis due this organism.⁷

In our patient with intraabdominal infection,  we may consider piperacillin-tazobactam instead.  Piperacillin-tazobactam is a broad spectrum antibiotic with excellent coverage against anaerobes and ampicillin-susceptible E. faecalis.^1,8  

References

1. Endtz HP, van Dijk WC, Verbrugh HA, et al. Comparative in-vitro activity of meropenem against selected pathogens from hospitalized patients in the Netherlands. J Antimicrob Chemother 1997;39:149-56. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9069534
2. Pfaller MA, Jones RN. A review of the in vitro activity of meropenem and comparative antimicrobial agents tested against 30,254 aerobic and anaerobic pathogens isolated world wide. Diag Microbiol Infect Dis 1997;28:157-63. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9327242
3. Hallgren A, Abednazari H, Ekdahl C, et al. Antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of enterococci in intensive care units in Sweden evaluated by different MIC breakpoint systems. J Antimicrob Chemother 2001;48:53-62. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11418512
4. Hoban DJ, Jones RN, Yamane N, et al. In vitro activity of three carbapenem antibiotics comparative studies with biapenem (L-627), imipenem, and meropenem against aerobic pathogens isolated worldwide. Diag Microbiol Infect Dis 993;17:299-305.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8112045
5. Chambers HF. Carbapenem and monobactams. In Mandell GL et al. eds. Principles and practice of infectious diseases. 2010, pp 341-45.
6. Cunha CB, Cunha BA. Antibiotic essentials. 2017, pp 689-91.
7. Meropenem.http://online.lexi.com/lco/action/doc/retrieve/docid/patch_f/7253?searchUrl=%2Flco%2Faction%2Fsearch%3Fq%3Dmeropenem%26t%3Dname
8. Perry CM, Markham A. Piperacillin/tazobactam. Drugs 1999;57:805-43. https://link.springer.com/article/10.2165%2F00003495-199957050-00017

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