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Effect of penicillin and chloramphenicol on the growth and endotoxin release by N. meningitidis

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 May 2009

M. C. Mellado ,
R. Rodríguez-Contreras ,
A. Mariscal ,
J. D. Luna ,
M. Delgado Rodríguez  and
R. Galvez-Vargas
M. C. Mellado
Affiliation:
Departments of Preventive MedicineUniversity of Granada, Spain
R. Rodríguez-Contreras*
Affiliation:
Departments of Preventive MedicineUniversity of Granada, Spain
A. Mariscal
Affiliation:
Departments of Preventive MedicineUniversity of Granada, Spain
J. D. Luna
Affiliation:
Biostatistics, School of Medicine, University of Granada, Spain
M. Delgado Rodríguez
Affiliation:
Departments of Preventive MedicineUniversity of Granada, Spain
R. Galvez-Vargas
Affiliation:
Departments of Preventive MedicineUniversity of Granada, Spain
*
* For correspondence and requests for reprints: Prof. Rodríguez-Contreras, Dpto. de Medicina Preventiva, Facultad de Medicina, Avenida de Madrid 11, 18012 – Granada, Spain.
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The action of two antibiotics, penicillin and chloramphenicol, on bacterial growth and endotoxin liberation was studied in 18 strains of Neissevia meningitidis isolated from blood and CSF of patients with meningococcal infections. The antibiotics were administered both separately and in combined form in doses equivalent to 1 MIC and 100 MIC. Penicillin was found to produce a faster and more intense bactericidal effect than chloramphenicol during the first hour, whereas at 12 h these differences were not significant. This could explain the initial worsening observed in some infected patients when large doses of penicillin are administered. An increased liberation of endotoxin after adding penicillin was observed in six of the strains studied, whereas the remaining 12 did not show significant increases. The six strains (belonging to serogroup B) were known to have an enhanced capacity for spontaneous endotoxin liberation.

Type
Special Article
Information
Epidemiology & Infection , Volume 106 , Issue 2 , April 1991 , pp. 283 - 288
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1991

References

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