Comparative in vitro Study of Various Sulfanilamide Derivatives on Typhoid-Dysentery Organisms

Abstract

Conclusions

The effect of sulfathiazole, sulfamethylthiazole, sulfapyridine and sulfanilamide in concentrations of 10 mg per 100 cc on large and small inocula of E. typhosa, S. paratyphi, S. schottmuelleri, Shigella dysenteries, Shigella paradysenterice and Shigella sonnei in veal infusion peptone broth, urine and blood was studied. It was found that sulfanilamide had little bacteriostatic effect in broth cultures, whereas, if a small inoculum is used, sulfathiazole, sulfamethylthiazole and sulfapyridine showed a bacteriostatic action. In urine and blood, sulfanilamide usually caused some inhibition of growth. The action of sulfathiazole, sulfamethylthiazole and sulfapyridine in urine and blood was not only bacteriostatic but was often bactericidal. Sulfathiazole was only slightly superior to sulfamethylthiazole and sulfapyridine when urine and blood were used as media.

Of the 6 organisms studied, S. paradysenteriæ (Flexner) appears to be most susceptible to the action of the sulfonamide drugs. No further conclusions as to the comparative susceptibility of the strains used in this study seems justified.