Effectiveness of netilmicin and tobramycin against Pseudomonas aeruginosa in vitro and in an experimental tissue infection in mice.

The activity of netilmicin and tobramycin against Pseudomonas aeruginosa was assessed in vitro in the presence of constant and exponentially declining concentrations, and in mice in an experimental thigh infection. The activity in vitro at constant concentrations was expressed as the maximal killing rate (ER) during 3 h of exposure. On the basis of the quantitative relation between E(R) and the drug concentration, the numbers of cfu expected at consecutive times, at constant as well as at declining concentrations, were predicted. The relationship between observed numbers and predicted values of ERt were similar under both conditions for both drugs. On the same basis the numbers of cfu expected in the experimental thigh infection were predicted. There was indeed a significant linear relationship between observed numbers of cfu in homogenized muscle and the values predicted on the basis of the pharmacokinetics of the aminoglycosides, but the slope of this relationship was only 0.22. There was no difference in this respect between the two antibiotics. It is concluded that the efficacy of netilmicin and tobramycin against P. aeruginosa is considerably less in vivo than in vitro, but the relation is about the same for the two drugs; therefore the slightly higher activity of tobramycin in vitro is relevant in the in-vivo situation.

Native valve endocarditis due to Corynebacterium group JK.

We report a case of a 32-yr-old woman on chronic intermittent haemodialysis, who developed endocarditis due to a Corynebacterium group JK, involving both the native aortic and mitral valves. Despite a four-week treatment with vancomycin, an aortic root abscess developed. The diagnosis was confirmed on autopsy.

[A patient with toxic shock syndrome following correction of the nasal septum]. / Een patiënt met het toxische-shocksyndroom na een neusseptumcorrectie.

A male aged 30 suffered from toxic shock syndrome after septorhinoplasty with positioning of a tampon. Initial treatment consisted of removing the tampon and supportive care, as a result of which the patient recovered. The patient was a carrier of Staphylococcus aureus which produced toxic shock syndrome toxin-I (TSST-I). Anti-TSST-I antibodies were already found in the serum in the initial phase of the disease.

The use of intravenous cannulae and the occurrence of thrombophlebitis.

The occurrence of thrombophlebitis in a coronary care unit was studied in relation to the use of short plastic intravenous cannulae. The incidence of thrombophlebitis was 51% in cases where cannulae were used for continuous infusion of glucose 5% and 13% for cannulae which were locked after the injection of heparin. Only one case of infectious thrombophlebitis was seen. The other cases of thrombophlebitis had a chemical or mechanical aetiology. Replacement of glucose 5% by a NaCl 0.9% solution for continuous infusion reduced the incidence of thrombophlebitis to 33%. Heparin-locked cannulae, to provide rapid access to the patient's circulation, proved to be a safe alternative to continuous infusion.

Sensitivity and resistance of Legionella pneumophila to some antibiotics and combinations of antibiotics.

For the treatment of Legionella pneumophila infections erythromycin and rifampicin are the antibiotics of choice. In view of reported therapy failures other antibiotics, e.g. the quinolones, are currently under investigation. The sensitivity of L. pneumophila to four antibiotics and to combinations of antibiotics was investigated and the rate of mutations was calculated. For 20 L. pneumophila strains we determined the MIC of rifampicin (0.002-0.004 mg/l), erythromycin (0.063-0.125 mg/l), norfloxacin (0.125 mg/l) and ciprofloxacin (0.016-0.032 mg/l). Mutation rates ranged from 1 x 10(-8) for ciprofloxacin to greater than 1 x 10(-7) for erythromycin, resulting in high-level resistance to rifampicin in most strains and erythromycin resistance in one strain, but not in resistance to the quinolones. The combination of erythromycin and rifampicin was synergistic (FIC index less than 0.5) against four of the L. pneumophila strains and showed indifference (FIC index 0.5-2.0) for the remainder (mean FIC index 0.79). Combinations of ciprofloxacin and erythromycin and of rifampicin and ciprofloxacin showed only indifference (mean FIC index respectively 1.05 and 1.21). Combining rifampicin with ciprofloxacin was not effective in reducing the number of mutants for either of these antibiotics, whereas the other combinations did prevent this.