Open AccessEffect of subinhibitory concentrations of mecillinam on the serum susceptibility of Escherichia coli strains
Author(s) -
Peter W. Taylor,
Howard Gaunt,
Franziska Unger
Publication year - 1981
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.19.5.786
Subject(s) - mecillinam , microbiology and biotechnology , escherichia coli , antibiotics , biology , bacteria , strain (injury) , enterobacteriaceae , biochemistry , genetics , anatomy , gene
For serum-resistant clinical isolates of Escherichia coli were grown in the presence of various subinhibitory concentrations of mecillinam or pivmecillinam and then exposed to the bactericidal action of human serum. All strains became more serum susceptible as a result of pregrowth in medium containing mecillinam, but the concentration of antibiotic needed to produce the effect varied according to the strain being used. Production of ovoid or round cells was a prerequisite for sensitization to serum. Growth in the presence of mecillinam did not alter the response to serum of a serum-susceptible E. coli strain.