Aztreonam, cefoperazone, and gentamicin in the treatment of experimental Enterobacter aerogenes endocarditis in rabbits.

The effectiveness of aztreonam, cefoperazone, and gentamicin alone and in combination was evaluated in Enterobacter aerogenes endocarditis in rabbits. The minimal inhibitory concentration/minimal bactericidal concentration ratios for E. aerogenes were as follows: aztreonam, 0.4/0.4 microgram/ml; cefoperazone, 0.8/0.8 microgram/ml; and gentamicin, 3.1/3.1 micrograms/ml. With an inoculum of 10(9) organisms per ml, aztreonam and cefoperazone were equivalent in reducing titers of E. aerogenes in broth, and both drugs demonstrated an increased rate of reduction when gentamicin was added; gentamicin alone was least effective. E. aerogenes endocarditis in rabbits was treated intramuscularly with aztreonam (60 mg/kg) every 6 h, with cefoperazone (60 mg/kg) every 6 h, with gentamicin (1.7 mg/kg) every 8 h, and with aztreonam plus gentamicin or cefoperazone plus gentamicin for 5 and 10 days, respectively. All of the therapeutic regimens were effective in reducing vegetation titers as compared with untreated controls. Aztreonam plus gentamicin was more effective than either aztreonam or gentamicin alone. Cefoperazone plus gentamicin was more effective than cefoperazone alone but was not more effective than gentamicin alone. Neither aztreonam and cefoperazone nor aztreonam and gentamicin differed significantly, but gentamicin was significantly more effective than cefoperazone. Aztreonam plus gentamicin did not differ significantly in effectiveness from cefoperazone plus gentamicin. Aztreonam gave a peak level of about 135 micrograms/ml and a half-life of 0.7 h. Cefoperazone gave a peak level of about 155 micrograms/ml and a half-life of 1.1 h. Gentamicin gave a peak level of 7.4 micrograms/ml and a half-life of 1.3 h.