β-lactamase inhibition by avibactam in Mycobacterium abscessus

Two β-lactams, cefoxitin and imipenem, are part of the reference treatment for pulmonary infections with Mycobacterium abscessus. M. abscessus has recently been shown to produce a broad-spectrum β-lactamase, BlaMab, indicating that the combination of β-lactams with a BlaMab inhibitor may improve treatment efficacy. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the impact of BlaMab production on the efficacy of β-lactams in vitro and to assess the benefit of BlaMab inhibition on the activity of β-lactams intracellularly and in an animal model.