Antimicrobial synergism in the therapy of experimental cerebral nocardiosis

• Published in: Journal of antimicrobial chemotherapy 1989-07, Vol.24 (1), p.39-43
• Main Authors: Gombert, Myles E., duBouchet, Lorraine, Aulicino, Taryn M., Berkowitz, Leonard B.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Antibacterial agents; Antibiotics. Antiinfectious agents. Antiparasitic agents; Biological and medical sciences; Brain Diseases - drug therapy; Brain Diseases - microbiology; Cefotaxime - therapeutic use; Colony Count, Microbial; Drug Combinations - therapeutic use; Drug Synergism; Drug Therapy, Combination - therapeutic use; Female; Imipenem - therapeutic use; Medical sciences; Mice; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Nocardia asteroides - drug effects; Nocardia Infections - drug therapy; Nocardia Infections - microbiology; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Sulfamethoxazole - therapeutic use; Trimethoprim - therapeutic use; Trimethoprim, Sulfamethoxazole Drug Combination
• ISSN: 0305-7453; 1460-2091
• DOI: 10.1093/jac/24.1.39

A mouse model of cerebral nocardiosis was used to determine the efficacy of synergistic antimicrobial combinations in reducing bacterial colony counts per gram of brain tissue. The combinations of imipenem-cefotaxime and imipenem-trimethoprim/sulphamethoxazole (TMP/SMP) were compared with each other and with each agent used alone. A saline treated control group was also included. At the completion of 72 h of therapy the combinations of imipenem-cefotaxime and imipcnem-TMP/SMX were the most effective in reducing bacterial colony counts. These were statistically superior to cefotaxime and TMP/SMX used alone but not statistically superior to imipenem alone. TMP/SMX was not effective in this model and was inferior to all other antibiotic treatments.