Synergism of fosfomycin-ampicillin and fosfomycin-chloramphenicol against Salmonella and Shigella.

Ninety strains of Salmonella and 50 strains of Shigella were tested for susceptibility to fosfomycin, chloramphenicol, and ampicillin by the agar dilution method. Drug interaction between fosfomycin-ampicillin and fosfomycin-chloramphenicol was studied by the agar dilution method. The fractional inhibitory concentration was calculated. The combination of fosfomycin-ampicillin was synergistic against Salmonella in 74 cases, additive in 7, indifferent in 7, antagonistic in none, and nonevaluable in 2; against Shigella it was synergistic in 27 cases, additive in 9, indifferent in 14, and antagonistic in none. The combination of fosfomycin-chloramphenicol was synergistic against Salmonella in 56 cases, additive in 9, indifferent in 13, nonevaluable in 12, and antagonistic in none; against Shigella it was synergistic in 29 cases, additive in 10, indifferent in 9, nonevaluable in 2, and antagonistic in none. Killing curves with combinations of each antimicrobial agent showed that the cultures that had proven to be indifferent by the agar dilution method showed a bactericidal effect until h 4, with posterior regrowth of the culture after this time period. For the strains in which synergism was demonstrated, total bactericidal activity was reached at 24 h.