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ACTIVITY OF ERYTHROMYCIN AGAINST HAEMOPHILUS INFLUENZAE FROM RESPIRATORY TRACT INFECTIONS
Author(s) -
Aldons P. M.,
Hampshire P.
Publication year - 1981
Publication title -
medical journal of australia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.904
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1326-5377
pISSN - 0025-729X
DOI - 10.5694/j.1326-5377.1981.tb100941.x
Subject(s) - erythromycin , ampicillin , microbiology and biotechnology , haemophilus influenzae , antibiotics , respiratory tract infections , respiratory tract , biology , respiratory system , anatomy
Ampicillin and amoxycillin are very frequently used for treating respiratory infections due to Haemophilis influenzae , but the emergence of β‐lactamase producing strains of this organism may limit their use. Erythromycin would be a suitable alternative but to date variable absorptions and reported minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) outside the range of achievable blood levels of erythromycin have prevented its use. The purpose of this study was to determine the MICs of erythromycin for strains of H. influenzae isolated from patients with lower respiratory tract infection and the frequency of β‐lactamase production in these strains. Eighty‐five of 100 strains were sensitive to erythromycin (MIC < <2.0 mg/L). Eleven strains were resistant to ampicillin and 10 of these produced β‐lactamase. Nine β‐lactamase producing strains had MICs to erythromycin of 2.0 mg/L or less. With the blood levels of erythromycin obtainable with new formulations, this antibiotic should prove of use in the treatment of respiratory infections due to H. influenzae.