sultamicillin and Gonorrhea

During the period November 1989 to March 1991 a total of 330 patients (269 males and 61 females) with signs and symptoms of uncomplicated lower genital tract infections with Neisseria gonorrhoeae were treated at a sexually transmitted disease clinic in Kampala, Uganda. Patients were randomized for treatment with either intramuscular ampicillin/sulbactam (1 g ampicillin/0.5 g sulbactam), plus 1 g probenecid orally, or ceftriaxone (250 mg). In those cases where N. gonorrhoeae was isolated and the patients returned for a follow-up visit, 70/74 (95%) of the patients treated with ampicillin/sulbactam and 71/72 (99%) of those treated with ceftriaxone had favourable clinical outcomes. All 24 patients with penicillinase-producing N. gonorrhoeae (PPNG) treated with ampicillin/sulbactam had a favourable clinical outcome compared with 95% (20/21) of those with PPNG treated with ceftriaxone. The infecting pathogen was eradicated in 65/71 (92%) of the evaluable patients treated with ampicillin/sulbactam and in 60/63 (95%) of the ceftriaxone group. Both drug regimens were well tolerated and there were no reports of adverse drug effects. In summary, in a predominantly male group of clinic patients in Kampala, Uganda, ampicillin/sulbactam was as safe and effective as ceftriaxone in treating uncomplicated gonococcal infections of the lower genital tract caused by either PPNG or non-PPNG strains.

Topics: Adult; Ambulatory Care; Ampicillin; Ceftriaxone; Drug Therapy, Combination; Female; Gonorrhea; Humans; Male; Neisseria gonorrhoeae; Penicillinase; Prevalence; Probenecid; Prospective Studies; Sulbactam; Treatment Outcome; Uganda

An open multicenter study was carried out to evaluate the efficacy and safety of sultamicillin in patients with urinary tract infections or gonococcal urethritis. 1) Sultamicillin (750-2250 mg/day) was administered for 3 d to 196 patients with acute uncomplicated cystitis. The most common dosage regimen was 375 mg three times daily. The results of treatment based on the combination of changes in symptoms, pyuria and bacteriuria were excellent in 66.8%, moderate in 30.6% and poor in 2.6% of cases. Of 203 strains isolated before treatment, 185 (91.1%) were eradicated. The eradication rate for E. coli, the most common pathogen (167 strains), was 92.2%. 2) In total, 368 patients with complicated urinary tract infections were treated with 750-2250 mg/d of sultamicillin for 5 d. The most common dosage regimens were 375 mg three times daily and 750 mg twice daily. The clinical results based on the combination of changes in pyuria and bacteriuria were excellent in 30.4%, moderate in 35.6% and poor in 34.0% of cases. Of 470 strains isolated before treatment, 352 (74.9%) were eradicated. The eradication rate achieved with high beta-lactamase-producing organisms (64.1%) was not significantly different from that achieved with low or non-producers (75.6%). 3) Sultamicillin (750-3000 mg/d) was administered to 367 male patients with gonococcal urethritis for 3 to 7 d. The eradication rate ranged from 92.3% with 750 mg/d to 100% with greater than or equal to 1500 mg/d. The effect of dose was particularly evident with the 27 strains of gonococci that had penicillinase activity.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Ampicillin; Bacterial Infections; Cystitis; Drug Therapy, Combination; Female; Gonorrhea; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Multicenter Studies as Topic; Sulbactam; Urethritis; Urinary Tract Infections

In a prospective study 105 children hospitalized with soft tissue infection, 11 children with suppurative arthritis and 9 children with osteomyelitis were treated with either parenterally administered ampicillin/sulbactam or ceftriaxone. Treatment was randomized using a computer-generated table in a 2:1 fashion: 84 patients received ampicillin/sulbactam and 41 patients received ceftriaxone. Organisms isolated from wound site or blood cultures included Staphylococcus aureus (33), Streptococcus pyogenes (19), Haemophilus influenzae (9) including 4 beta-lactamase-positive organisms, Streptococcus pneumoniae (5), Neisseria gonorrhoeae (3) and 9 other organisms. Clinical and bacteriologic response was satisfactory in 100% of the ampicillin/sulbactam-treated patients and in 93% of the ceftriaxone-treated patients. Two patients with S. aureus infections treated with ceftriaxone had a delayed response and required change in therapy to parenterally administered oxacillin. Ampicillin/sulbactam represents a potentially useful single agent for the treatment of cellulitis and bone or joint infections in pediatric patients.

Topics: Acinetobacter Infections; Adolescent; Ampicillin; Arthritis, Infectious; Ceftriaxone; Cellulitis; Child; Child, Preschool; Drug Therapy, Combination; Escherichia coli Infections; Female; Gonorrhea; Haemophilus Infections; Humans; Infant; Male; Osteomyelitis; Prospective Studies; Random Allocation; Staphylococcal Infections; Streptococcal Infections; Sulbactam

Neisseria gonorrhoeae was isolated simultaneously from urethral and pharyngeal specimens of two gonorrhea patients. The pair of isolates from one of the two patients were identical in auxotype, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis pattern, and antimicrobial susceptibility, which indicated that both sites in that patient were infected with the same strain of N. gonorrhoeae. However, the two isolates from the other patient had different properties, indicating that the two sites in the second patient were infected with different strains. The gonococcal infections in these patients failed to respond to initial treatment with sparfloxacin or sulbactam/ampicillin, because the causative strains of N. gonorrhoeae were resistant to the respective antibiotics. Variable patterns and routes of gonococcal infection have recently been discovered in individual patients, suggesting that specimens for bacterial isolation should be taken not just from one site but from various sites that might be infected. This method may contribute to the successful treatment and epidemiological investigation of gonococcal infections.

Topics: Adult; Ampicillin; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Anti-Infective Agents; beta-Lactamases; Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field; Fluoroquinolones; Genital Diseases, Male; Gonorrhea; Humans; Male; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Neisseria gonorrhoeae; Pharyngeal Diseases; Pharynx; Spectinomycin; Sulbactam; Urethra

We conducted an epidemiological study including analyses of background factors of 192 male and 13 female patients with gonorrheal infection in the Sapporo area and at the same time, investigated the therapeutic efficacy of sultamicillin, an ester linked prodrug of ampicillin and beta-lactamase inhibitor sulbactam in the treatment of these patients. The percentage of infections in Sapporo was rather high in the young generation, being as high as 13.5% in teen-age boys and 30.8% in teen-age girls, which were higher than the 6.1% and 6.3% of corresponding groups in Honshu island. The source of infections was so-called special public bath-ouse which accounted for about 31.8% of all cases which however, was lower than the 50% in Honshu island. By contrast, the percentage of their friends or so-called pick-up friends as a source of infection in Sapporo was as high as 46.9% which was significantly higher than the 19.9% in Honshu. Juveniles who had nonprostitutes of the other sex as a source of infection are a characteristic of the patients in Sapporo. The isolation rate of PPNG was 13.8%. The MIC (10(6) CFU/ml) of sultamicillin ranged from 0.05 to 0.39 micrograms/ml in beta-lactamase non-producing strains and from 0.20 to 1.56 micrograms/ml in beta-lactamase producing strains showing no trend of higher MIC against beta-lactamase producing strains. There was almost no difference in the efficacy of sultamicillin between a daily dose of 750 mg (2 tablets) and 1125 mg (3 tablets) nor in side effects. The eradication rate (efficacy rate) of gonococcus following a 3-day therapy was 96.2% (38.9% excellent cure rate) in male patients and 83.3% (8.3%) in female patients. In 31% of the male patients who underwent a 7-day therapy, residual serous secretion was found though some inaccuracy is involved in this data since dropouts were not counted. This suggests the need of concurrent therapy with other appropriate drugs in consideration of possible mixed infection involving Chlamydia trachomatis or other microorganisms.

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Ampicillin; Drug Combinations; Female; Gonorrhea; Humans; Japan; Male; Middle Aged; Penicillanic Acid; Sulbactam

Sultamicillin is a covalent union of ampicillin and the beta lactamase inhibitor, sulbactam (CP-45,899). Two studies were conducted to assess its efficacy in treating uncomplicated gonorrhoea. In the first study treatment comprised sultamicillin 1.5 g and probenecid 1 g; 124 (89.2%) of 139 patients responded including seven of 11 patients harbouring beta lactamase (penicillinase) producing strains of Neisseria gonorrhoeae (PPNG). In the second study sultamicillin 2.25 g and probenecid 1 g were given; 122 (93.8%) of 130 patients responded. Only two of seven pharyngeal infections resolved, and if pharyngeal infections are excluded the overall cure rate rose to 95.3%. Thirteen of 14 patients infected with PPNG strains were cured by the larger dose. Side effects were mild and transitory. It may be concluded that sultamicillin 2.25 g plus probenecid 1 g is an effective regimen to treat uncomplicated rectal and genital gonorrhoea and is useful for treating infections with PPNG strains. Most beta lactamase resistant antimicrobials must be given parenterally; sultamicillin is given by mouth.

Topics: Administration, Oral; Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Ampicillin; Drug Combinations; Drug Evaluation; Drug Therapy, Combination; Female; Gonorrhea; Humans; Male; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Middle Aged; Neisseria gonorrhoeae; Penicillanic Acid; Penicillin Resistance; Penicillinase; Probenecid; Sulbactam

A single oral dose of 2 g of sultamicillin and 1 g of probenecid was effective in the treatment of men with uncomplicated gonococcal urethritis caused by both penicillin sensitive strains of Neisseria gonorrhoeae and penicillinase producing strains of N gonorrhoeae (PPNG). Of 94 infected men who attended for at least one follow up examination, 91 (97%) were cured. The remaining three (3%) patients were still infected at follow up. Two of these patients had been re-exposed to an infected partner and were considered to be possible reinfections, while the third was deemed a treatment failure. Six of the 94 patients were infected with PPNG strains and all were successfully treated. Plasmid analysis of the PPNG strains showed Asian and African types both with and without transfer plasmid.

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Ampicillin; Drug Combinations; Follow-Up Studies; Gonorrhea; Humans; Male; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Middle Aged; Neisseria gonorrhoeae; Penicillanic Acid; Penicillinase; Penicillins; Plasmids; Probenecid; Sulbactam; Urethritis