Potentiation of Clostridium botulinum toxin aminoglycoside antibiotics: clinical and laboratory observations

A child with infant botulism became apneic and died while receiving ampicillin and gentamicin therapy. As aminoglycosides have been implicated in the induction and/or exacerbation of neuromuscular blockade, we used an animal model to test the hypothesis that aminoglycosides potentiate neuromuscular...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Pediatrics (Evanston) 1981-07, Vol.68 (1), p.50-54
Main Authors: Santos, J I, Swensen, P, Glasgow, L A
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aminoglycosides - pharmacology
Animals
Anti-Bacterial Agents - pharmacology
Botulinum Toxins - pharmacology
Clostridium botulinum
Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
Drug Synergism
Gentamicins - pharmacology
Humans
Infant
Male
Mice
Tobramycin - pharmacology
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Summary:A child with infant botulism became apneic and died while receiving ampicillin and gentamicin therapy. As aminoglycosides have been implicated in the induction and/or exacerbation of neuromuscular blockade, we used an animal model to test the hypothesis that aminoglycosides potentiate neuromuscular blockade of botulinum toxin. In the range of aminoglycoside doses utilized in these experiments, both gentamicin and tobramycin enhance neuromuscular impairment and death of botulinum toxin-exposed mice. These results support recently published clinical observations that aminoglycosides may potentiate neuromuscular weakness caused by botulinum toxin, and suggest that these antibiotics should be used with caution in suspected cases of infant botulism.
ISSN:0031-4005
1098-4275
DOI:10.1542/peds.68.1.50