Abstract
Summary
Mice infected by the i.v. route with P. mirabilis or Ps. aeruginosa were treated with several chemotherapeutics commonly used in human pyelonephritis or recommended for gram-negative infections. Streptomycin, neomycin, and kanamycin were the most effective agents, and with sulfadiazine, the only ones active against both infections. When therapy was delayed as long as 5 days, the 3 antibiotics substantially reduced kidney damage and the number of positive cultures obtained if given in large doses. Sulfadiazine was not beneficial for either infection if treatment was delayed more than one day after inoculation. The same was true for polymyxin (Pseudomonas infection). When one treatment i.v. was given 1 hour after challenge, only those agents found active in the delayed therapy experiments gave good results. The other chemotherapeutics were ineffective by any test method. Gamma globulin as well as specific antisera reduced the incidence of gross kidney damage and infection when administered before or up to 24 hours after i.v. inoculation.
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