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. 1974 Mar;53(3):829–833. doi: 10.1172/JCI107622

Chemotherapy of Experimental Streptococcal Endocarditis

II. SYNERGISM BETWEEN PENICILLIN AND STREPTOMYCIN AGAINST PENICILLIN-SENSITIVE STREPTOCOCCI

David T Durack 1,2, Lawrence L Pelletier 1,2, Robert G Petersdorf 1,2
PMCID: PMC333064  PMID: 4492776

Abstract

Bacterial endocarditis was produced by intravenous injection of Streptococcus viridans into rabbits with preexisting sterile endocardial vegetations. After 6 h had elapsed, bacteria in the vegetations could not be eradicated by brief treatment with antimicrobials to which the streptococci were sensitive. However, when treatment with penicillin was continued for 4 days, the animals were cured. The 6-h infection therefore offered a model in which treatments could be conveniently compared over a short period. Synergism was demonstrated between penicillin and streptomycin in endocarditis due to a fully penicillin-sensitive streptococcus, a point which had not been previously proved in vivo. The clinical implications are discussed.

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Selected References

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

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