title: Possible prevention of in vitro selection of resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae by beta-lactamase inhibitors.
abstract: The development of resistance in vitro in five strains of Streptococcus pneumoniae (3 with full susceptibility and 2 with intermediate susceptibility to penicillin) was investigated by serial passages in the presence of subinhibitory concentrations of amoxicillin and ampicillin. At the end of passaging, MICs of antibiotics for all the strains increased by a factor of four or more, reaching at least intermediate levels. MICs of cephalosporins, ampicillin and amoxicillin increased for almost all variants obtained. Similar results were obtained with amoxicillin plus clavulanic acid at a ratio of 2:1 and at a constant concentration of 2 micrograms/ml, and with ampicillin plus sulbactam at a ratio 2:1. In contrast, no significant modification of MIC was seen with ampicillin plus sulbactam at a constant concentration of 4 micrograms/ml sulbactam. These results suggest interaction of sulbactam with penicillin binding proteins as described previously for other bacterial species, and merit further investigation.
authors.affiliation: Archet Hospital, Nice University, France.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Carsenti-Etesse
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Durant
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: De Salvador
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bensoussan
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bensoussan
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pradier
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bernard
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Mondain
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Thabaut
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dellamonica
mesh_terms: D000658:Amoxicillin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000667:Ampicillin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000668:Ampicillin Resistance; D019818:Clavulanic Acid; D002969:Clavulanic Acids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018432:Drug Resistance, Multiple; D004357:Drug Synergism; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D012641:Selection, Genetic; D013296:Streptococcus pneumoniae / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics; D013407:Sulbactam / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018440:beta-Lactam Resistance; D065093:beta-Lactamase Inhibitors
chemical_list: D002969:Clavulanic Acids; D065093:beta-Lactamase Inhibitors; D019818:Clavulanic Acid; D000667:Ampicillin; D000658:Amoxicillin; D013407:Sulbactam