Skip to main content
Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy logoLink to Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy
. 1986 Apr;29(4):565–569. doi: 10.1128/aac.29.4.565

Combined action of chloramphenicol and ampicillin on chloramphenicol-resistant Haemophilus influenzae.

A M Mackenzie, F T Chan
PMCID: PMC180442  PMID: 3486629

Abstract

The interaction of ampicillin and chloramphenicol on three ampicillin-susceptible, chloramphenicol-resistant strains of Haemophilus influenzae was studied by checkerboard testing with subcultures, time-kill experiments, and a disk method. In all three strains there was inhibition of the bactericidal action of ampicillin by chloramphenicol at concentrations close to the MIC (10 micrograms/ml). This chloramphenicol concentration was close to that which might be achieved in cerebrospinal fluid during treatment for meningitis and was in the bactericidal range for chloramphenicol-susceptible organisms. It is suggested however that in the initial treatment of meningitis caused by ampicillin-susceptible, chloramphenicol-resistant strains, inhibition of the action of ampicillin by chloramphenicol may represent a clinical risk.

Full text

PDF
565

Images in this article

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Asmar B. I., Dajani A. S. Ampicillin-chloramphenicol interaction against enteric Gram-negative organisms. Pediatr Infect Dis. 1983 Jan-Feb;2(1):39–42. doi: 10.1097/00006454-198301000-00010. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Azemun P., Stull T., Roberts M., Smith A. L. Rapid detection of chloramphenicol resistance in Haemophilus influenzae. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 1981 Aug;20(2):168–170. doi: 10.1128/aac.20.2.168. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Barrett F. F., Taber L. H., Morris C. R., Stephenson W. B., Clark D. J., Yow M. D. A 12 year review of the antibiotic management of Hemophilus influenzae meningitis. Comparison of ampicillin and conventional therapy including chloramphenicol. J Pediatr. 1972 Aug;81(2):370–377. doi: 10.1016/s0022-3476(72)80316-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Bartelt M. A., Dykstra M. A. Laboratory isolation of chloramphenicol-resistant Haemophilus influenza in Nebraska. Nebr Med J. 1983 Jun;68(6):169–171. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Bryan L. E. Transferable chloramphenicol and ampicillin resistance in a strain of Haemophilus influenzae. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 1978 Jul;14(1):154–156. doi: 10.1128/aac.14.1.154. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Campos J., Garcia-Tornel S., Sanfeliu I. Susceptibility studies of multiply resistant Haemophilus influenzae isolated from pediatric patients and contacts. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 1984 Jun;25(6):706–709. doi: 10.1128/aac.25.6.706. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Cole F. S., Daum R. S., Teller L., Goldmann D. A., Smith A. L. Effect of ampicillin and chloramphenicol alone and in combination on ampicillin-susceptible and -resistant Haemophilus influenzae type B. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 1979 Mar;15(3):415–419. doi: 10.1128/aac.15.3.415. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Dabernat H. J., Delmas C., Bauriaud R., Lareng M. B. Activité bactéricide d'antibiotiques, isolés et en associations, sur des souches sensibles et résistantes de Haemophilus influenzae. Ann Microbiol (Paris) 1979 May-Jun;130 A(4):469–479. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Feldman W. E. Effect of ampicillin and chloramphenicol against Haemophilus influenzae. Pediatrics. 1978 Mar;61(3):406–409. doi: 10.1542/peds.61.3.406. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Hallander H. O., Dornbusch K., Gezelius L., Jacobson K., Karlsson I. Synergism between aminoglycosides and cephalosporins with antipseudomonal activity: interaction index and killing curve method. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 1982 Nov;22(5):743–752. doi: 10.1128/aac.22.5.743. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Howard A. J., Hince C. J., Williams J. D. Antibiotic resistance in Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae. Report of a study group on bacterial resistance. Br Med J. 1978 Jun 24;1(6128):1657–1660. doi: 10.1136/bmj.1.6128.1657. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. JAWETZ E., GUNNISON J. B., SPECK R. S., COLEMAN V. R. Studies on antibiotic synergism and antagonism; the interference of chloramphenicol with the action of penicillin. AMA Arch Intern Med. 1951 Mar;87(3):349–359. doi: 10.1001/archinte.1951.03810030022002. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Kenny J. F., Isburg C. D., Michaels R. H. Meningitis due to Haemophilus influenzae type b resistant to both ampicillin and chloramphenicol. Pediatrics. 1980 Jul;66(1):14–16. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Kinmonth A. L., Storrs C. N., Mitchell R. G. Meningitis due to chloramphenicol-resistant Haemophilus influenzae type b. Br Med J. 1978 Mar 18;1(6114):694–694. doi: 10.1136/bmj.1.6114.694. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Leads from the MMWR. Ampicillin and chloramphenicol resistance in systemic Hemophilus influenzae disease. JAMA. 1984 Feb 17;251(7):884–885. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Long S. S., Phillips S. E. Chloramphenicol-resistant Hemophilus influenzae. J Pediatr. 1977 Jun;90(6):1030–1031. doi: 10.1016/s0022-3476(77)80592-1. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Mackenzie A. M. Combined action of chloramphenicol and ampicillin on Haemophilus influenzae. J Antimicrob Chemother. 1979 Nov;5(6):693–698. doi: 10.1093/jac/5.6.693. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Manten A., van Klingeren B., Dessens-Kroon M. Chloramphenicol resistance in Haemophilus influenzae. Lancet. 1976 Mar 27;1(7961):702–702. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(76)92832-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. McBryde V. E., Dowling H. F., Mellody M. Comparison of tube and plate methods for testing combinations of antibiotics against Haemophilus influenzae. Antimicrob Agents Chemother (Bethesda) 1965;5:267–272. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Multiple antibiotic resistance in Haemophilus influenzae. Lancet. 1981 Mar 7;1(8219):553–554. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Pearson R. D., Steigbigel R. T., Davis H. T., Chapman S. W. Method of reliable determination of minimal lethal antibiotic concentrations. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 1980 Nov;18(5):699–708. doi: 10.1128/aac.18.5.699. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Peel M. M., Tibbits D. R., Forsyth J. R. Chloramphenicol-resistant haemophilus influenzae. Med J Aust. 1979 Feb 24;1(4):130–130. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Pickering L. K., Hoecker J. L., Kramer W. G., Kohl S., Cleary T. G. Clinical pharmacology of two chloramphenicol preparations in children: sodium succinate (iv) and palmitate (oral) esters. J Pediatr. 1980 Apr;96(4):757–761. doi: 10.1016/s0022-3476(80)80762-1. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. ROSS S., RICE C., BURKE F. G., MCGOVERN J. J., PARROTT R. H., MCGOVERN J. P. Treatment of meningitis due to Haemophilus influenzae; use of chloromycetin and sulfadiazine. N Engl J Med. 1952 Oct 9;247(15):541–547. doi: 10.1056/NEJM195210092471501. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. Rocco V., Overturf G. Chloramphenicol inhibition of the bactericidal effect of ampicillin against Haemophilus influenzae. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 1982 Feb;21(2):349–351. doi: 10.1128/aac.21.2.349. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  26. Schauf V., Green D. C., van der Stuyf L., Riff L. Chloramphenicol kills Haemophilus influenzae more rapidly than does ampicillin or cefamandole. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 1983 Mar;23(3):364–368. doi: 10.1128/aac.23.3.364. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  27. Scheifele D. W. Update on antibiotic resistance of Haemophilus influenzae in Canada. Can Med Assoc J. 1982 Aug 1;127(3):222–223. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  28. Simasathien S., Duangmani C., Echeverria P. Haemophilus influenzae type B resistant to ampicillin and chloramphenicol in an orphanage in Thailand. Lancet. 1980 Dec 6;2(8206):1214–1217. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(80)92478-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  29. Slack M. P., Wheldon D. B., Turk D. C. Rapid detection of chloramphenicol resistance in Haemophilus influenzae. Lancet. 1977 Dec 24;2(8052-8053):1366–1366. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(77)90426-3. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  30. Tuomanen E. I., Powell K. R., Marks M. I., Laferriere C. I., Altmiller D. H., Sack C. M., Smith A. L. Oral chloramphenicol in the treatment of Haemophilus influenzae meningitis. J Pediatr. 1981 Dec;99(6):968–974. doi: 10.1016/s0022-3476(81)80035-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  31. Uchiyama N., Greene G. R., Kitts D. B., Thrupp L. D. Meningitis due to Haemophilus influenzae type b resistant to ampicillin and chloramphenicol. J Pediatr. 1980 Sep;97(3):421–424. doi: 10.1016/s0022-3476(80)80193-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  32. Ward J. I., Tsai T. F., Filice G. A., Fraser D. W. Prevalence of ampicillin- and chloramphenicol-resistant strains of Haemophilus influenzae causing meningitis and bacteremia: national survey of hospital laboratories. J Infect Dis. 1978 Sep;138(3):421–424. doi: 10.1093/infdis/138.3.421. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  33. Yogev R., Kolling W. M., Williams T. Pharmacokinetic comparison of intravenous and oral chloramphenicol in patients with Haemophilus influenzae meningitis. Pediatrics. 1981 May;67(5):656–660. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  34. Zackrisson G., Brorson J. E. Antibiotic sensitivity of Haemophilus influenzae strains including three recent chloramphenicol-resistant isolates. Acta Pathol Microbiol Scand B. 1980 Aug;88(4):193–198. doi: 10.1111/j.1699-0463.1980.tb02628.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy are provided here courtesy of American Society for Microbiology (ASM)

RESOURCES