Open AccessPenicillin-netilmicin synergism against Streptococcus faecalis
Author(s) -
Oksana M. Korzeniowski,
Christine Wennersten,
R C Moellering,
Merle A. Sande
Publication year - 1978
Publication title -
antimicrobial agents and chemotherapy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.07
H-Index - 259
eISSN - 1070-6283
pISSN - 0066-4804
DOI - 10.1128/aac.13.3.430
Subject(s) - netilmicin , penicillin , streptomycin , microbiology and biotechnology , aminoglycoside , gentamicin , enterococcus faecalis , antibiotics , antibacterial agent , streptococcaceae , medicine , titer , biology , virology , bacteria , tobramycin , staphylococcus aureus , genetics , virus
The combination of penicillin plus netilmicin was synergistic in vitro against 28 strains of Streptococcus faecalis and compared favorably with penicillin in combination with gentamicin. Similarly, penicillin plus netilmicin was as effective as penicillin plus gentamicin in the therapy of 67 rabbits with enterococcal endocarditis produced with a streptomycin-susceptible (S) or a streptomycin-resistant (R) strain of S. faecalis. After 5 days of infection, control rabbits had bacterial titers of 10(10) colony-forming units (CFU)/g of vegetation. Those treated with penicillin plus netilmicin had mean titers of 10(5.2) and 10(5.1) CFU/g for S and R strains, respectively, and those treated with penicillin plus gentamicin had mean valve titers of 10(5.8) CFU/g for both strains. After 10 days of therapy, mean valve titers with penicillin plus netilmicin were 10(3.8) and 10(4.7) CFU/g, and with penicillin plus gentamicin they were 10(4.5) and 10(5.4) CFU/g for S and R strains, respectively. Thus, if netilmicin proves to be less toxic than other aminoglycoside antibiotics, it may have potential usefulness in the therapy of enterococcal endocarditis.