cefotaxime and Candidiasis

Thirteen compounds, based on benzofuran skeleton bearing aryl substituents at its C-3 position through methanone linker, were synthesized and screened for their antibacterial and antifungal activities against four bacteria Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Methicillin-resistant S.aureus, Bacillus subtilis, and a fungus Candida albicans. Four hydrophobic benzofuran analogs were found to exhibit favorable antibacterial activities (MIC(80) = 0.39-3.12 μg/mL), which were better than the control drugs.

Topics: Anti-Bacterial Agents; Antifungal Agents; Bacillus subtilis; Bacterial Infections; Benzofurans; Candida albicans; Candidiasis; Cell Proliferation; Escherichia coli; Humans; Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; Methicillin Resistance; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Staphylococcus aureus; Structure-Activity Relationship

The complications of kidney graft preservation fluid infected by Candida sp. may range in severity from trivial infections to life-threatening complications, including graft arteritis and anastomotic rupture. Mandatory nephrectomy has recently been proposed as a means of preventing arterial wall rupture in such cases. We describe the clinical features and outcome of renal transplantation from a cadaveric donor in eight recipients with preservation fluid testing positive for Candida sp. Six patients were treated with antifungal drugs. After 1-2 years of follow-up, including regular imaging, none of the patients had developed arterial aneurysm, and all had a functional allograft and were alive. The contamination of renal graft preservation fluid with Candida sp. may be uneventful and should not systematically lead to removal of the graft. Until other risk factors for vascular complications have been determined, early antifungal treatment and repeated radiological monitoring are advisable for the prevention and/or early detection of such complications.

Topics: Adult; Aged; Antifungal Agents; Cadaver; Candida; Candidiasis; Cefotaxime; Female; Humans; Kidney Transplantation; Male; Middle Aged; Organ Preservation Solutions; Postoperative Complications; Retrospective Studies; Tissue Donors; Transplants; Treatment Outcome; Vancomycin

To determine the distribution and antimicrobial drug resistance in bacterial pathogens causing nosocomial infections, surveillance data on nosocomial infections documented from 1981 to 1999 at National Taiwan University Hospital were analyzed. During this period, 35,580 bacterial pathogens causing nosocomial infections were identified. Candida species increased considerably, ranking first by 1999 in the incidence of pathogens causing all nosocomial infections, followed by Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Candida species also increased in importance as bloodstream infection isolates, from 1.0% in 1981-1986 to 16.2% in 1999. The most frequent isolates from urinary tract infections were Candida species (23.6%), followed by Escherichia coli (18.6%) and P. aeruginosa (11.0%). P. aeruginosa remained the most frequent isolates for respiratory tract and surgical site infections in the past 13 years. A remarkable increase in incidence was found in methicillin-resistant S. aureus (from 4.3% in 1981-1986 to 58.9% in 1993-1998), cefotaxime-resistant E. coli (from 0% in 1981-1986 to 6.1% in 1993-1998), and cefotaxime-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (from 4.0% in 1981-1986 to 25.8% in 1993-1998). Etiologic shifts in nosocomial infections and an upsurge of antimicrobial resistance among these pathogens, particularly those isolated from intensive care units, are impressive and alarming.

Topics: Anti-Bacterial Agents; Anti-Infective Agents; Candida; Candidiasis; Cefotaxime; Cross Infection; Drug Resistance, Bacterial; Drug Resistance, Fungal; Escherichia coli Infections; Humans; Methicillin Resistance; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Pseudomonas Infections; Staphylococcus aureus; Taiwan

A 30-year-old woman died as a result of a large Candida parapsilosis septic thrombus located on the tip of a Groshong catheter. The catheter had been in place for 28 months for administration of a 27 month course of intravenous cefotaxime for an unsubstantiated diagnosis of chronic Lyme disease.

Topics: Adult; Candidiasis; Catheterization, Central Venous; Catheters, Indwelling; Cefotaxime; Cephalosporins; Diagnostic Errors; Fatal Outcome; Female; Humans; Iatrogenic Disease; Lyme Disease; Thrombosis

We investigated the effect of seven antibacterial antibiotics: kanamycin, gentamicin, tetracycline, minocycline, ampicillin, piperacillin and cefotaxime, on survival of mice infected sequentially with a lethal dose of Candida albicans and a sublethal dose of Escherichia coli. The mortality of C. albicans-infected mice was facilitated by the superinfection with E. coli. When administered to mice with C. albicans/E. coli complex infection, aminoglycosides and tetracyclines significantly prolonged the survival period as compared with the infected and untreated controls. The recovery of viable counts of E. coli from the renal tissues was rapidly reduced by the treatment with gentamicin or minocycline, compared to the untreated control. Thus it was concluded that nullification by the treatment with aminoglycosides or tetracyclines of the enhancing effect of E. coli superinfection on the lethality of C. albicans-infected mice is due to early elimination of E. coli from the kidney.

Topics: Ampicillin; Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Candida albicans; Candidiasis; Cefotaxime; Escherichia coli; Escherichia coli Infections; Female; Gentamicins; Kanamycin; Kidney; Mice; Mice, Inbred ICR; Minocycline; Piperacillin; Tetracycline

A group of three-month old, male Crl:CD1(ICR) BR mice, was fed chow containing Candida albicans, while another group of the same type of mice was fed regular chow. Both groups were treated subsequently with either antibiotics or normal saline for 10 days. Stool cultures were performed before treatment, at the end of treatment, and one week after the end of treatment, to determine the level of colonization of the gastrointestinal tract by the yeast. The stools of mice fed Candida and treated with antibiotics had substantially higher Candida counts than control mice fed C. albicans and treated with saline. The highest concentrations of the yeast were observed in the stools of mice treated with cefotaxime as compared to those of mice treated with pefloxacin, amikacin and amoxicillin. No Candida was found in the stools of mice fed regular chow and treated with antibiotics or saline. Dissemination of Candida was not observed in the visceral organs of any mouse.

Topics: Amikacin; Amoxicillin; Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Candida albicans; Candidiasis; Cefotaxime; Digestive System; Disease Models, Animal; Feces; Gastrointestinal Diseases; Male; Mice; Mice, Inbred ICR; Pefloxacin

Necrotizing fasciitis is a potentially fatal, acute bacterial infection characterized by extensive fascial and subcutaneous tissue necrosis. Four factors that contribute significantly to the morbidity and mortality of necrotizing fasciitis are: 1) delayed treatment, due to difficulty in recognizing the condition; 2) inappropriate treatment; 3) host debilitation; and 4) a polymicrobial infection.

Topics: Adult; Bacteroides Infections; Candidiasis; Cefotaxime; Clindamycin; Cloxacillin; Fasciitis; Female; Focal Infection, Dental; Gentamicins; Humans; Metronidazole; Multiple Organ Failure; Neck Muscles; Necrosis; Penicillin G; Periapical Abscess; Shock, Septic; Staphylococcal Infections; Streptococcal Infections; Superinfection

The clinical efficacy of the combination therapy with cefmenoxime plus cefsulodin was studied in patients with complicated urinary tract infections caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Patients received 1 g of CMX and 1 g of CFS concomitantly twice a day by 1-hour intravenous drip infusion. Of a total of 127 patients who received medication, 82 patients were evaluated on the 5th day. The overall clinical efficacy of treatment was evaluated by the criteria proposed by the UTI Committee, Japan, as excellent, moderate or poor. It was excellent in 15%, moderate in 55% and poor in 30%. Of the 143 strains isolated from 82 patients, 115 strains (80%) were eradicated. The eradication rate of P. aeruginosa was 83%. Subjective side effects were observed in 3 (2.4%) of the patients. Drug-related aggravations in laboratory test results were observed in 8 (7.5%), but most of them were minimal and reversible. The results of this study suggest that a combination of cefmenoxime and cefsulodin might be useful in the treatment of complicated urinary tract infections caused by P. aeruginosa.

Topics: Candidiasis; Cefmenoxime; Cefotaxime; Cefsulodin; Drug Therapy, Combination; Enterobacteriaceae Infections; Humans; Pseudomonas Infections; Urinary Tract Infections

In various infection models with the pathogenic yeast Candida albicans, Cefodizime influences the development of the infection. Although it does not exhibit any fungicidal or fungistatic action it decreases the number of yeast cells or prolonges survival.

Topics: Animals; Candidiasis; Cefotaxime; Disease Models, Animal; Female; Immune System; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Mice, Inbred Strains; Rats

Studies concerning the activity of cefodizime (HR 221), on certain aspects of the immune response, were conducted. It was found that lymphocytes from Balb/c mice treated with 3 and 30 mg/kg/day of cefodizime display increased responsiveness to B-cell mitogens and specific antigens. Also, the amount of antigen specific antibody producing plaque forming cells was increased in these mice and was accompanied by a rise in the specific IgG haemagglutinin titer. These effects were not observed in lymphocytes obtained from NMRI mice that had been treated with cefodizime. Peritoneal macrophages from NMRI mice, treated with cefodizime prior to harvesting of the cells, contained increased levels of lysosomal enzymes, developed enhanced chemiluminescent reaction to stimuli and showed elevated pinocytosis rates. Furthermore, NMRI mice treated with cefodizime during the immunization, developed enhanced DTH-reaction, when challenged with the antigen (SRBC). The prophylactic treatment of Balb/c mice with cefodizime (2 X 30 mg/kg/day ip for 4 days) significantly prolonged the mean survival time of the animals after intravenous infection with Candida albicans 200/175 (16.7 days as against 3.5 days in the case of the controls). This stimulatory effect of cefodizime on the host defence system was not observed for NMRI mice. Treatment with latamoxef or cefoperazone under the same experimental conditions did not reduce the susceptibility of mice to C. albicans. The protective activity of cefodizime against C. albicans in Balb/c mice, may be due to the immuno-stimulatory activity of this agent.

Topics: Animals; Candidiasis; Cefotaxime; Female; Immunity; In Vitro Techniques; Luminescent Measurements; Lymphocyte Activation; Lymphocytes; Macrophage Activation; Mice; Mice, Inbred Strains

The flora in the throat and the stools of 10 patients receiving chemotherapy for malignant diseases in a laminar air-flow room was studied during the prophylactic administration of ceftazidime. Ten percent of aerobic gram-negative bacilli, 41% of aerobic gram-positive organisms, 59% of anaerobes, and 70% of fungi persisted in stool specimens during ceftazidime administration. This drug had a less pronounced effect on the throat flora; 66% of organisms persisted during antibiotic administration. The throat and fecal flora of another eight patients were studied during the prophylactic administration of ceftriaxone. This antibiotic had a profound effect on the fecal flora; none of the gram-negative bacilli, only 24% of aerobic gram-positive organisms, and only 10% of anaerobes persisted during ceftriaxone administration. Like ceftazidime, ceftriaxone had a less marked effect on the throat flora; 59% of organisms persisted during antibiotic administration. The results show that new, expanded-spectrum cephalosporins can have a major suppressive effect on patients' endogenous microbial flora.

Topics: Adult; Aged; Bacterial Infections; Bacteroides; Candidiasis; Cefotaxime; Ceftazidime; Ceftriaxone; Cephalosporins; Cross Infection; Drug Resistance, Microbial; Enterobacteriaceae; Feces; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Neoplasms; Pharynx; Staphylococcus; Streptococcus

The clinical significance of a concomitant, non-specific influence of antibiotics on immune defence mechanisms was studied by evaluating the death rate in mice experimentally infected with highly resistant or primarily resistant microorganisms. It could be shown that the mortality rate of mice infected with Enterobacter cloacae or Candida albicans significantly increased under treatment with cefoxitin, whereas treatment with cefotaxine or lamoxactam either had no effect, or even resulted in a better survival rate in comparison to controls. These results run parallel to an inhibition (cefoxitin) or stimulation (cefotaxime and lamoxactam) of antibody production. The effect of cefoxitin on the course of experimental infections could be compensated for by the concomitant application of sodium-8-chlorotheophyllinate which promotes antibody formation. None of these antibiotics showed any additional effect in animals treated with cyclophosphamide. From these observations it was concluded that the influence of antibiotics on certain immunological parameters assayed in vitro may be reflected in comparable effects on the course of infections in vivo; this implies that under certain clinical conditions, the immunological side-effects of antibiotics may be of practical therapeutic significance.

Topics: Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Antibody Formation; Candidiasis; Cefotaxime; Cefoxitin; Cephamycins; Cyclophosphamide; Drug Therapy, Combination; Enterobacter; Enterobacteriaceae Infections; Infections; Male; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Moxalactam; Theophylline