Antimicrobial therapy of experimental meningitis caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae strains with different susceptibilities to penicillin

G. H. McCracken, Y. Sakata

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62 Scopus citations

Abstract

The pharmacokinetics and bacteriological efficacies of penicillin G, ceftriaxone, vancomycin, and imipenem were determined in rabbits with experimental meningitis caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae strains with different penicillin susceptibilities. Drug dosages were adjusted to attain peak concentrations in serum that were similar to those observed in infants and children. In animals infected with a penicillin-susceptible (MBC, 0.008 μg/ml) pneumococcus, penicillin G and ceftriaxone reduced the number of organisms in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) by ≥4.14 log10 CFU/ml after single doses and after 9-h continuous infusions. A single large dose (50 mg/kg) of penicillin G was comparatively ineffective (-2.15 log10 CFU/ml) against a relatively penicillin-resistant (MBC, 0.5 μg/ml) strain, whereas ceftriaxone therapy resulted in a 3.66- and 4.77-log10 CFU/ml reduction after single doses and 9-h continuous infusions, respectively. In animals in which meningitis was caused by a penicillin-resistant (MBC, 8.0 μg/ml) pneumococcus, a single dose of penicillin (50 or 150 mg/kg) or of ceftriaxone failed to lower the number of organisms in CSF. Vancomycin and imipenem reduced the counts in CSF by at least 2.19 and 4.10 log10 CFU/ml after single doses and 9-h infusions, respectively. In all experiments, a bactericidal titer of ≥1:8 in CSF was necessary to achieve a maximal bacteriological effect.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)141-145
Number of pages5
JournalAntimicrobial agents and chemotherapy
Volume27
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - 1985

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Pharmacology
  • Pharmacology (medical)
  • Infectious Diseases

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