Clin Orthop. 2000 Nov;(380):250-9.
Biodegradable alginate antibiotic beads.

Ueng SW, Lee SS, Lin SS, Chan EC, Hsu BR, Chen KT.

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Keelung, Taiwan.

The authors investigated the poly-L-lysine-coated alginate beads as an antibiotic delivery system for the treatment of various surgical infections. The sodium alginate was mixed with vancomycin, coated with poly-L-lysine, and lyophilized to form five types of the biodegradable antibiotic beads. Type I, 2.5% alginate, nonpoly-L-lysine coated and nonlyophilized; Type II, 2.5% alginate, poly-L-lysine coated but nonlyophilized; Type III, 2.5% alginate, poly-L-lysine coated and lyophilized; Type IV, 5% alginate, poly-L-lysine coated and lyophilized; and Type V, 7.5% alginate, poly-L-lysine coated and lyophilized. Cytotoxicity of the alginate beads to fibroblasts and HeLa cells was evaluated by the MTT [3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H tetrazolium bromide] colorimetric assay. A study of in vitro elution of vancomycin of the alginate antibiotic beads was performed. The results suggested that the alginate antibiotic beads present no obvious toxic risk to their use as a drug delivery system. The concentration of vancomycin in these five types of beads was well above the breakpoint sensitivity concentration (the antibiotic concentration at the transition point between bacterial killing and resistance to the antibiotic) for 9,11,12, 14, and 17 days respectively. The release was most marked during the first 3 days. The duration of antibiotic release was prolonged by using techniques of poly-L-lysine coating, lyophilization, and by increasing the content of alginate. This study offers a biodegradable delivery system of antibiotics to treat various surgical infections.


Source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11064999&dopt=Abstract antibiotic, antibiotics



Microbiol Res. 2000 Sep;155(3):233-42.
Antifungal characteristics of a fluorescent Pseudomonas strain involved in the biological control of Rhizoctonia solani.

Pal KK, Tilak KV, Saxena AK, Dey R, Singh CS.

Division of Microbiology, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi. parcg.guj.nic.in

A plant growth-promoting isolate of a fluorescent Pseudomonas spp. EM85 was found strongly antagonistic to Rhizoctonia solani, a causal agent of damping-off of cotton. The isolate produced HCN (HCN+), siderophore (Sid+), fluorescent pigments (Flu+) and antifungal antibiotics (Afa+). Tn5::lacZ mutagenesis of isolate EM85 resulted in the production of a series of mutants with altered production of HCN, siderophore, fluorescent pigments and antifungal antibiotics. Characterisation of these mutants revealed that the fluorescent pigment produced in PDA and the siderophore produced in CAS agar were not the same. Afa- and Flu- mutants had a smaller inhibition zone when grown with Rhizoctonia solani than the EM85 wild type. Sid- and HCN mutants failed to inhibit the pathogen in vitro. In a pot experiment, mutants deficient in HCN and siderophore production could suppress the damping-off disease by 52%. However, mutants deficient in fluorescent pigments and antifungal antibiotics failed to reduce the disease severity. Treatments with mutants that produced enhanced amounts of fluorescent pigments and antibiotics compared with EM85 wild type, exhibited an increase in biocontrol efficiency. Monitoring of the mutants in the rhizosphere using the lacZ marker showed identical proliferation of mutants and wild type. Purified antifungal compounds (fluorescent pigment and antibiotic) also inhibited the fungus appreciably in a TLC bioassay. Thus, the results indicate that fluorescent pigment and antifungal antibiotic of the fluorescent Pseudomonas spp. EM85 might be involved in the biological suppression of Rhizoctonia-induced damping-off of cotton.


Source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11061193&dopt=Abstract antibiotic, antibiotics



Dan Med Bull. 2000 Sep;47(4):296-300.
Community-acquired bacteraemia and antibiotic resistance. Trends during a 17-year period in a Danish county.

Pedersen G, Schonheyder HC, Kristensen B, Sorensen HT.

Aalborg Hospital, Department of Medicine C.

INTRODUCTION: The aim was to ascertain the prevalence of antibiotic resistance among blood isolates from patients with community-acquired bacteraemia and to relate it to antibiotic consumption. METHODOLOGY: Cases of community-acquired bacteraemia were identified in a regional bacteraemia register in the County of Northern Jutland. The study included 3974 episodes in 3805 patients during a 17-year period. Total regional consumption of antibiotics was expressed in Defined Daily Doses (DDD). RESULTS: The prevalence of antibiotic resistance was stable with few exceptions. The most notable time trend was noted for Escherichia coli for which the prevalence of resistance to ampicillin increased from 17% (95% confidence limits (CL) 12-23%) to 28% (95% CL 23-33%); for other Enterobacteriaceae the increase was from 73% (95% CL 61-83%) to 86% (95% CL 77-92%). The prevalence of resistance to aminoglycosides, fluoroquinolones and third-generation cephalosporins remained low among all isolates of Enterobacteriaceae. Regional antibiotic consumption ranged from 10.2 to 13.6 DDD/1000 inhabitants/day. Consumption of penicillins with Gram-negative spectrum reached a maximum of 4.6 DDD/1000 inhabitants/day in 1993 and decreased towards the end of the study period. The prevalence of ampicillin-resistant E. coli was positively correlated with consumption of penicillins with Gram-negative spectrum; the correlation was stronger when adjustment was made for co-selection by tetracyclines and sulphonamides. CONCLUSION: Therapeutic options for community-acquired bacteraemia have not yet become seriously limited by prevalence of acquired antibiotic resistance. Still we found some evidence that consumption of penicillins with Gram-negative spectrum, sulphonamides and tetracyclines promotes antibiotic resistance among Enterobacteriaceae.


Source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11064832&dopt=Abstract antibiotic, antibiotics



Clin Exp Allergy. 2000 Nov;30(11):1547-53.
Does the use of antibiotics in early childhood increase the risk of asthma and allergic disease?

Droste JH, Wieringa MH, Weyler JJ, Nelen VJ, Vermeire PA, Van Bever HP.

Department of Epidemiology and Community Health, University of Antwerp, Belgium.

BACKGROUND: One of the mechanisms evoked to explain the increasing prevalences of asthma and allergy, in particular among children, is the 'Western lifestyle' or 'hygiene' hypothesis. As early childhood infections are assumed to hold a protective effect on the development of asthma and allergies, the use of antibiotics at that sensitive age may lead to an increased risk of asthma and allergy. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to investigate the association between the use of antibiotics in the first year of life and the subsequent development of asthma and allergic disorders. METHODS: In a population-based sample of 7-and-8-year-old children questionnaire and skin prick test data were collected from 1206 and 675 subjects, respectively. Prevalence rates of asthma, allergic disorders and skin test positivity were compared between children with and without early life use of antibiotics, taking into account other possible risk factors including early respiratory infections. The effect of genetic predisposition was investigated by stratified analyses of children with and without parental hay fever. RESULTS: The use of antibiotics during the first year of life was significantly associated with asthma (OR = 1.7, 95% CI 1.0-3.1), hay fever (OR = 2.3, 95% CI 1.3-3.8) and eczema (OR = 1.3, 95% CI 1.0-1.8). No significant relationship was found with skin test positivity (OR = 1.1, 95% CI 0.7-1.7). After stratification for the presence of parental hay fever, children without parental hay fever did not show any significant associations between antibiotics use and asthma or allergy, whereas in children with parental hay fever the use of antibiotics was significantly related with asthma (OR = 2.3, 95% CI 1.1-5.1), hay fever (OR = 2.8, 95% CI 1.5-5.1) and eczema (OR = 1.6, 95% CI 1.0-2.6), and of borderline statistical significance with skin test positivity (OR = 1.6, 95% CI 0.9-3.0). CONCLUSION: Early childhood use of antibiotics is associated with an increased risk of developing asthma and allergic disorders in children who are predisposed to atopic immune responses. These findings support recent immunological understanding of the maturation of the immune system.


Source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11069562&dopt=Abstract antibiotic, antibiotics



Biomaterials. 2001 Jan;22(1):73-80.
In vivo application of biodegradable controlled antibiotic release systems for the treatment of implant-related osteomyelitis.

Gursel I, Korkusuz F, Turesin F, Alaeddinoglu NG, Hasirci V.

Department of Biological Sciences, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey.

In this study the construction and in vivo testing of antibiotic-loaded polyhydroxyalkanoate rods were planned for use in the treatment of implant-related osteomyelitis. The rods were constructed of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) and poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-4-hydroxybutyrate), carrying 50% (w/w) Sulperazone or Duocid. They were implanted in rabbit tibia in which implant-related osteomyelitis (IRO) had been induced with Staphylococcus aureus. The effectiveness of the antibiotics in the treatment of IRO was determined. The establishment of IRO with bacterial inoculation was complete after 3 weeks with 100% infection rate in all groups. There was no contamination or super-infection. Both antibiotics were found to be highly effective against the bacteria. Following the application of Sulperazone-P(3-HB-co-4-HB) rods, no infective agents could be isolated from the infection site within the 6-week test period, indicating complete treatment of the infection. Macroscopical evaluation at follow-up revealed no drainage, minimal swelling and increase in local warmth, most probably due to the surgery rather than to a reaction towards the implant. The overall scores for radiological findings by the end of 6 weeks were 0.8/5 for the antibiotic-loaded rod implanted in the right limb, and 1.1/5 for the antibiotic-free rod implanted in the left limb. There was no statistical difference between the antibiotic-loaded and antibiotic-free polymeric rods. In vivo drug release was almost complete within the first week. One interesting observation, however, was that the therapy was still very effective even when the release rate was very high. In the SEM of in vitro tested rods, the polymeric component was unchanged in 2 weeks while the drug leached out, leaving voids behind. In vivo, however, the morphology of the implant was significantly modified within 6 weeks post-implantation. Since a substantial degree of the in vivo drug release was complete within 1 week, we believe that dissolution of the drug must be the predominant mechanism through which the drug release is controlled.


Source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11085386&dopt=Abstract antibiotic, antibiotics



J Trauma. 2000 Nov;49(5):873-8.
Locally delivered antibodies combined with systemic antibiotics confer synergistic protection against antibiotic-resistant burn wound infection.

Felts AG, Grainger DW, Slunt JB.

Anthony G. Gristina Institute for Biomedical Research, Herndon, Virginia, USA. jbsluniocache.com

BACKGROUND: Nosocomially derived gram-negative infections, particularly from antibiotic-resistant pathogens, are a cause of morbidity in patients with severe burn wounds. METHODS: Locally delivered polyclonal antibodies and systemically infused ceftazidime were combined in a lethal murine burn wound model against a virulent Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain that exhibits intermediate resistance to ceftazidime. RESULTS: Survival was synergistically enhanced in cohorts of burned mice treated both locally (subeschar) with pooled polyclonal human immunoglobulin G (1-mg dose) and intravenously with infused ceftazidime (0.44 mg dose). Enhancement of survival correlated with reduced bacterial quantitation in local and systemic tissue observed in separate burned cohorts. Burned, infected mice treated prophylactically with either individual treatment at the same dose or a combination of both treatments administered systemically showed no survival enhancement as compared with the untreated control group. CONCLUSION: Treatment of antibiotic-resistant burn wound infections with antibiotics together with locally delivered immunoglobulins may improve antibiotic protective effects against antibiotic-resistant pathogens.


Source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11086779&dopt=Abstract antibiotic, antibiotics



Presse Med. 2000 Oct 14;29(30):1640-4.
[Systematic infection consultation in the intensive care unit. Impact of short-term antibiotic use]

[Article in French]

Roger PM, Hyvernat H, Verleine-Pugliese S, Bourroul C, Giordano J, Fosse T, Mousnier A, Dellamonica P, Mattei M, Bernardin G.

Service des Maladies infectieuses et tropicales, Hopital de l'Archet, Centre Hospitalo-Universitaire de Nice.

OBJECTIVES: Multiresistant bacteria are regularly isolated in nosocomial infections occurring in intensive care units due to wide use of antibiotics. We evaluated the impact of systematic infectiology consultations on the quality of antibiotic prescriptions in an intensive care unit. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Infectiology consultations (3 per week) were initiated mid February 1999. The infectiologist gave oral advice to be implemented (or not) by the intensive care unit according to ongoing therapeutic options. The hospital pharmacy recorded antibiotic use for March and April 1999 for comparison with use recorded in 1998 for a similar period. We retrospectively reviewed the files of patients hospitalized during these periods and who had received antibiotics to determine the modalities of antibiotic use. The 4 antibiotics used for the longest period for each patient were recorded. RESULTS: Thirty-one patients in 1999 and 30 in 1998 were given antibiotics. The SAPS score was similar for the two groups. Mean duration of antibiotic treatment was lower during the March-April 1999 period than during the corresponding period in 1998: 13 +/- 9 days/patient versus 23 +/- 21 days/patient respectively, p = 0.037. In 1998, there were 596 antibiotic-days and in 1999 there were 455 (-24%). The cost of antibiotic therapy in 1998 was 70,342 FrF compared with 56,804 FrF in 1999 (-19%). CONCLUSION: Infectiology consultation, in association with the opinion of the intensive care physician, is a simple way to limit antibiotic use.


Source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11089498&dopt=Abstract antibiotic, antibiotics