Ceftriaxone therapy of group B streptococcal bacteraemia and meningitis in infant rats.
The efficacy of ceftriaxone against group B streptococci was studied in vitro and in vivo with an infant rat model of group B streptococci bacteraemia and meningitis. Twenty-four strains demonstrated minimal inhibitory concentrations of ceftriaxone of 0 . 05-0 . 1 mg/l and minimal bactericidal concentrations of 0 . 1-0 . 4 mg/l. Four strains were selected to induce bacteraemia and meningitis in infant rats by intraperitoneal inoculation. All 45 bacteraemic animals with or without meningitis that were treated with ceftriaxone 2 mg/kg/dose every eight hours for five doses survived, while all 12 control animals died (P less than 0 . 001). When recultured 54 h after the last dose of ceftriaxone, both CSF and blood remained sterile in all treated animals. These results indicate group B streptococci to be sensitive to ceftriazone in vitro and that, in the low dosage used, ceftriaxone effectively eradicates group B streptococcal bacteraemia and meningitis in infant rats.
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D002439:Cefotaxime / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002443:Ceftriaxone; D008581:Meningitis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D018805:Sepsis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013292:Streptococcus agalactiae / Q000187:drug effects
D002443:Ceftriaxone; D002439:Cefotaxime