Inhibition by paromomycin of R-factor transfer of tetracycline resistance between Escherichia coli and Salmonella pullorum.

In vitro assays showed that low concentrations (5--10 and 20 microgram/ml) of the antimicrobial paromomycin sulfate are able to block or diminish significantly the transfer of the tetracycline resistance R-factor between Escherichia coli and Salmonella pullorum. This observation is important because it offers the possibility of preventing the formation of tetracycline-resistant pathogens, a limiting factor of tetracycline use in both human and veterinary medicine.

Sensitivity of Neisseria meningitidis to sulfonamides and antibiotics. In vitro trials on 302 strains isolated during the Brazilian epidemic of 1974.

During the recent epidemic of meningitis in Brazil, 1974, bacteriological and antibiotic sensitivity investigations were performed on 302 strains of Neisseria meningitidis, isolated from meningitis patients from the São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro districts in the first half of 1974. The experiments have shown that 58% of the strains belong to the serological type A, 25% belong to type C and the remaining 17% to a group designated 'untypable' in that they did not react with the diagnostic antisera A, B, C, and D. Antibiotic sensitivity tests in vitro have made evident that, independently of the serological type, 89.8% of the 302 strains were inhibited by 10 mug/ml of a long-acting sulfonamide (sulfamethoxypyrazine, SMP), that is, by levels easily reached in the CSF during a normal prophylactic or therapeutic treatment.

Identification and treatment with a long-acting sulphonamide of 15 carriers of Vibrio cholerae El Tor serotype Ogawa, during the 1973 cholera epidemic in Naples.

During the cholera epidemic in 1973, nine contact carriers of Vibrio cholerae El Tor serotype Ogawa were identified in a family from Naples as well as six others coming from different parts of the city or its surroundings. All the subjects were admitted to the quarantine ward of the 'Cotugno Hospital' (Naples) in which they remained continuously for 14 or 16 days. During this time these bacteriologically confirmed carriers were treated orally with a long-acting sulphonamide (sulphamethoxypyrazine, Kelfizine). Coprocultural examinations carried out on each patient on average 7 times after the treatment over a period of 6 months, proved the absence of V. cholerae. Serological tests also showed high levels of agglutinating and vibriocidal anticholera Ogawa antibodies in two unvaccinated carriers.

The anti-mycoplasmal activity of aminosidine.

Some in vivo experiments of therapeutic activity in severe experimental infection (intracranial) in the mouse due to different strains of Mycoplasma proved the high efficacy of the antibiotic aminosidine when administered subcutaneously at the dose of 30 mg/kg and have also demonstrated that oral treatment is moderately effective against Mycoplasma hominis 2. Sensitivity test carried out in vitro on the same Mycoplasma strains confirmed the bactericidal activity of aminosidine. These experiments have therefore shown that the therapeutic spectrum of aminosidine, which includes Gram-positive, Gram-negative, acid-fast bacteria and some protozoa, may be enlarged to include the genus Mycoplasma. For this reason the antibiotic can find a useful application in the treatment of primary atypical neumonia. In addition, from a clinical research point of view, aminosidine may constitute a promising tool for the treatment of different illnesses in which Mycoplasma have been described as important co-factors of pathogenicity in man.

[Anti-mycoplasmatic activity of 2 antracyclinic antibiotics]. / Attivita' antimicoplasmatica di due antibiotici antraciclinici

The antimycoplasma activity (bacteriostatic and bactericidal) of daunomycin and adriamycin has been tested on 14 strains in liquid and solid medium. The minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of daunomycin and tetracycline have resulted of the same greatness, while those regarding adriamycin are lightly greater.

[Comparison of the antibacterial activity in vitro of a combination of penicillin and other antibiotics on 127 strains isolated in an Oncological Institute]. / Confronto di attivitá antibatterica "in vitro" tra una associazione di penicilline ed altri antibiotici su 127 ceppi isolati in un Istituto Oncologico

127 pathogenic, opportunist and saprophytic strains isolated from patients and material in a Milanese oncological department were tested. An association of Ampicillin and Dicloxacillin ana (Diamplicil) proved effective against all strains, particularly Gram-negative bacteria notoriously responsible for hospital infections. A statistically inferior performance was observed for Rifampicin and Cephaloridine.