Sulbactam/ampicillin in the treatment of otitis and sinusitis.

The importance of beta-lactamase-producing strains in acute otitis media and acute/chronic sinusitis, and the effectiveness of sulbactam/ampicillin were ascertained in vitro and in vivo. Of the strains isolated from 19 patients with otitis media, 40% are beta-lactamase producers whereas 44% of strains isolated from 22 patients with sinusitis produced beta-lactamase. When the most commonly isolated strains were treated with a range of antibiotics in vitro, they all showed 100% sensitivity to sulbactam/ampicillin. The clinical results for otitis media showed 63% recovery and 26% improvement, with only one (5%) failure (one patient did not complete treatment). For sinusitis the results were 55% recovery and 45% improvement, and no failures. For sinusitis, the end-of-treatment microbiological results showed complete eradication of the pathogens responsible for infection. The results indicate that sulbactam/ampicillin is an effective treatment for infections of the ear, nose and throat.