title: Influence of clavulanic acid on the activity of amoxicillin against an experimental Streptococcus pneumoniae-Staphylococcus aureus mixed respiratory infection.
abstract: An experimental respiratory infection caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae was established in weanling rats by intrabronchial instillation. Treatment of this infection with amoxicillin rapidly eliminated the pneumococci from the lung tissue. A beta-lactamase-producing strain of Staphylococcus aureus, when inoculated in a similar manner, did not persist adequately in the lungs long enough to permit a reasonable assessment of the therapy, but staphylococcal survival was extended in the lungs of rats infected 24 h previously with S. pneumoniae. Amoxicillin therapy was relatively ineffective against the pneumococci in this polymicrobial infection and had no effect on the growth of S. aureus. In contrast, amoxicillin-clavulanic acid eliminated the pneumococci from the lung tissue and brought about a reduction in the numbers of staphylococci. The data illustrate the utility of this model for the study of polymicrobial lung infections and demonstrate the role of amoxicillin-clavulanic acid in the treatment of polymicrobial infections involving beta-lactamase-producing bacteria.
authors.affiliation: Beecham Pharmaceuticals Research Division, Betchworth, Surrey, England.
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Boon
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Beale
mesh_terms: D000658:Amoxicillin / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000818:Animals; D002969:Clavulanic Acids / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D011008:Pneumococcal Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D018805:Sepsis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D014018:Tissue Distribution
chemical_list: D002969:Clavulanic Acids; D000658:Amoxicillin