Biomaterial Database

Studies of cephalothin: aminoglycoside synergism against enterococci. 1975

A J Weinstein, and R C Moellering

Combinations of cephalothin and aminoglycoside antibiotics are not currently used in the therapy of serious enterococcal infections, because clinical trials of these combinations have been unsuccessful. Studies of 28 enterococci isolated from patients with enterococcal bacteremia suggested three possible mechanisms for this in vivo antibiotic failure: (i) a relatively high level of resistance to cephalothin among all enterococci and especially those characterized as Streptococcus faecium, (ii) a significant incidence of high-level resistance to the aminoglycosides among certain strains of enterococci, and (iii) a failure of synergism to occur when cephalothin concentrations fall below the minimal inhibitory concentration of the enterococcus, as occurs during the in vivo metabolism and excretion of this antibiotic when given in standard doses for endocarditis.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D002512	Cephalothin	A cephalosporin antibiotic.	Cefalotin,Sodium Cephalothin,Cefalotina Normon,Cefalotina Sodica Spaly,Ceftina,Cephalothin Monosodium Salt,Keflin,Seffin,Cephalothin, Sodium,Monosodium Salt, Cephalothin,Salt, Cephalothin Monosodium
D004357	Drug Synergism	The action of a drug in promoting or enhancing the effectiveness of another drug.	Drug Potentiation,Drug Augmentation,Augmentation, Drug,Augmentations, Drug,Drug Augmentations,Drug Potentiations,Drug Synergisms,Potentiation, Drug,Potentiations, Drug,Synergism, Drug,Synergisms, Drug
D000617	Aminoglycosides	Glycosylated compounds in which there is an amino substituent on the glycoside. Some of them are clinically important ANTIBIOTICS.	Aminoglycoside
D001419	Bacteria	One of the three domains of life (the others being Eukarya and ARCHAEA), also called Eubacteria. They are unicellular prokaryotic microorganisms which generally possess rigid cell walls, multiply by cell division, and exhibit three principal forms: round or coccal, rodlike or bacillary, and spiral or spirochetal. Bacteria can be classified by their response to OXYGEN: aerobic, anaerobic, or facultatively anaerobic; by the mode by which they obtain their energy: chemotrophy (via chemical reaction) or PHOTOTROPHY (via light reaction); for chemotrophs by their source of chemical energy: CHEMOLITHOTROPHY (from inorganic compounds) or chemoorganotrophy (from organic compounds); and by their source for CARBON; NITROGEN; etc.; HETEROTROPHY (from organic sources) or AUTOTROPHY (from CARBON DIOXIDE). They can also be classified by whether or not they stain (based on the structure of their CELL WALLS) with CRYSTAL VIOLET dye: gram-negative or gram-positive.	Eubacteria
D013291	Streptococcus	A genus of gram-positive, coccoid bacteria whose organisms occur in pairs or chains. No endospores are produced. Many species exist as commensals or parasites on man or animals with some being highly pathogenic. A few species are saprophytes and occur in the natural environment.
D013293	Enterococcus faecalis	A species of gram-positive, coccoid bacteria commonly isolated from clinical specimens and the human intestinal tract. Most strains are nonhemolytic.	Streptococcus Group D,Streptococcus faecalis
D013997	Time Factors	Elements of limited time intervals, contributing to particular results or situations.	Time Series,Factor, Time,Time Factor