In vitro assessment of sulbactam plus cefoperazone in the treatment of bacteria isolated from cancer patients.
Cefoperazone is a broad-spectrum cephalosporin that has been used extensively to treat infections in cancer patients. A recent survey demonstrated only a 6% resistance to this drug among Gram-negative bacteria. The combination of cefoperazone plus sulbactam was studied in vitro against consecutive isolates causing bacteremia in cancer patients as well as those selected for resistance to cefoperazone. Both a fixed ratio of sulbactam/cefoperazone (2:1 w/w) and selected concentrations of sulbactam (2, 4, 8, and 16 micrograms/ml) were studied. Sulbactam was shown to increase the susceptibility of various unselected Gram-negative bacilli; this effect increased with larger concentrations of sulbactam. The addition of sulbactam at optimum concentration levels made 29 of 65 cefoperazone-resistant Gram-negative bacilli susceptible. This effect was seen most markedly for Acinetobacter spp.
Bodey
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GP
Department of Medical Specialties, University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston 77030.
Miller
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P
Ho
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DH
D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D002438:Cefoperazone / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000382:microbiology; D013407:Sulbactam / Q000008:administration & dosage*
D002438:Cefoperazone; D013407:Sulbactam