Sulfapyridine in Experimental Bacillus Pyocyaneus Infection of the Cornea. ∗

Abstract

The purpose of this investigation was to determine whether or not the oral administration of sulfapyridine would prevent or influence favorably the infection of rabbit's cornea produced by Bacillus pyocyaneus.

The corneæ were inoculated with a 24-hour broth culture of the organism after superficial abrasion. The drug was administered twice daily, at 9:00 A.M. and 5:00 P.M. The dosage for each feeding was 0.5 g/kg the first day, 0.35 g/kg the second day, and 0.25 g/kg thereafter. The soluble sodium sulfapyridine† was used for the sake of greater accuracy in determining dosages. Fifteen rabbits which died or were injured during the course of treatment are not included in this report.

A small benign ulcer appeared within a few hours after inoculation in all rabbits receiving 2 prophylactic doses of sulfapyridine during the preceding 24 hours. In one group of these treatment was continued for from½ to 6 days. In 25 eyes the ulcer healed with little or no extension in from 1 to 3 days, but in 2 eyes it continued to progress. In another group treatment was continued for one day or less, at which time the ulcers appeared to be healed. Five of these eyes remained unchanged but in 5 others the ulcer became active after a quiescent period of 24 hours and progressed through a typical course of pyocyaneus infection. Eight eyes were inoculated concurrently with the beginning of treatment which was continued for 2½ days. Mild ulcers developed and healed within 24 hours.

In 2 groups of rabbits treatment was instituted after the appearance of the ulcer and was continued for 6 days. In the first group, in which treatment was begun 6 hours after inoculation, the course was usually mild.