Abstract
Erythromycin and cefamandole have exhibited synergistic activity against eight strains of Bacteroides fragilis subsp. fragilis. In concentrations of only 0.25 to 0.5 μg of erythromycin per ml (easily obtainable with oral therapy), less than 0.4 μg (0.015 to 1.0) of cefamandole per ml inhibited the B. fragilis strains. In the presence of the erythromycin, the potency of cefamandole was increased more than 100-fold. On the basis of the mechanism of action of these two antibiotics, the synergism may be related to inhibition of beta-lactamase formation by the erythromycin, removal of the bacterial cell wall by the cefamandole permitting erythromycin penetration to the ribosomal level, and decreasing inoculum effect.
Full text
PDF



Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
- Bourque M., Quintiliani R., Tilton R. C. Synergism of cefazolin-gentamicin against enterococci. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 1976 Jul;10(1):157–163. doi: 10.1128/aac.10.1.157. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Busch D. F., Sutter V. L., Finegold S. M. Activity of combinations of antimicrobial agents against Bacteroides fragilis. J Infect Dis. 1976 Mar;133(3):321–328. doi: 10.1093/infdis/133.3.321. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Davis C. E., Hunter W. J., Ryan J. L., Braude A. I. Simple method for culturing anaerobes. Appl Microbiol. 1973 Feb;25(2):216–221. doi: 10.1128/am.25.2.216-221.1973. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Del Bene V. E., Farrar W. E., Jr Antimicrobial therapy of infections due to anaerobic bacteria. Semin Drug Treat. 1972 Winter;2(3):295–312. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- GRIFFITH R. S., BLACK H. R. A comparison of blood levels after oral administration of erythromycin and erythromycin estolate. Antibiot Chemother (Northfield) 1962 Jun;12:398–403. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Griffith R. S., Black H. R., Brier G. L., Wolny J. D. Cefamandole: in vitro and clinical pharmacokinetics. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 1976 Nov;10(5):814–823. doi: 10.1128/aac.10.5.814. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Hewitt W. L., Seligman S. J., Deigh R. A. Kinetics of the synergism of penicillin-streptomycin and penicillin-kanamycin for enterococci and its relationship to L-phase variants. J Lab Clin Med. 1966 May;67(5):792–807. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Jones R. N., Fuchs P. C. Identification and antimicrobial susceptibility of 250 Bacteriodes fragilis subspecies tested by broth microdilution methods. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 1976 Apr;9(4):719–721. doi: 10.1128/aac.9.4.719. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Rotilie C. A., Fass R. J., Prior R. B., Perkins R. L. Microdilution technique for antimicrobial susceptibility testing of anaerobic bacteria. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 1975 Mar;7(3):311–315. doi: 10.1128/aac.7.3.311. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Weinstein R. J., Young L. S., Hewitt W. L. Comparison of methods for assessing in vitro antibiotic synergism against Pseudomonas and Serratia. J Lab Clin Med. 1975 Nov;86(5):853–862. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Williams P. P. Dispensing Apparatus for Controlling E(h), pH, and Volume of Anaerobic Bacterial and Protozoal Culture Media. Appl Microbiol. 1966 Nov;14(6):1045–1046. doi: 10.1128/am.14.6.1045-1046.1966. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
