Abstract
Novobiocin and rifampicin were evaluated in vitro as a possible new antibiotic combination against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. An evaluation of 20 strains of methicillin-resistant Staph. aureus using microdilution checkerboard techniques at 105 cfu/ml showed neither synergy nor antagonism between novobiocin and rifampicin or between vancomycin and rifampicin. Agar surface inoculation of six strains of methicillin-resistant Staph. aureus showed increased synergy with increased inocula (106-109 cfu) for novobiocin plus rifampicin compared to vancomycin plus rifampicin. Time-kill curves showed indifference at 6 h for all combinations, whereas, at 24 and 48 h, they generally showed indifference, occasionally synergy, but never antagonism. The 'synergy' between novobiocin and rifampicin at higher inocula of methicillin-resistant Staph. aureus appears to be due to prevention of emergence of resistant organisms and may have clinical relevance. The combination of novobiocin-rifampicin merits further investigation.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 75-82 |
| Number of pages | 8 |
| Journal | Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy |
| Volume | 17 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Jan 1986 |
| Externally published | Yes |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Pharmacology
- Microbiology (medical)
- Infectious Diseases
- Pharmacology (medical)