A method for studying antibiotic concentrations in inflammatory exudate.

A new technique is described for studying antibiotic concentrations in an experimental inflammatory exudate in vivo. In most exudates concentrations of four antistaphylococcal drugs which were of potential therapeutic significance could be assayed, and fucidin appeared to diffuse best. Higher concentrations of all antibiotics gained access to the lesion in the first two hours of inflammation, suggesting that their mobility did not depend on binding to cells during the inflammatory response. The technique may ultimately help to elucidate the relationship between antibiotics and host defences at the primary sites of infection.