Penicillin

About: Penicillin is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 17916 publications have been published within this topic receiving 368480 citations. The topic is also known as: penicillin antibiotic & PCN.

Pneumococcal Antimicrobial Resistance: The Problem in Hungary

Abstract: An epidemiological survey of penicillin resistance as determined by minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) in Streptococcus pneumoniae strains collected from several Hungarian laboratories in 1988-1989 indicated a prevalence of 58% among a total of 135 isolates. A significantly higher resistance rate (69.2%) was found for isolates from pediatric patients than from adult patients (44.0%). Penicillin-resistant strains were more frequently resistant to non-beta-lactam antibiotics (tetracycline, erythromycin, co-trimoxazole, and chloramphenicol) than were penicillin-sensitive strains. On the basis of the MIC50 and MIC90 values of ampicillin and five cephalosporins for penicillin-resistant strains, it was established that ampicillin and cephalexin were not superior to penicillin. The low MIC90 of ceftriaxone and cefotaxime for these organisms reflects promising therapeutic potential, even in septicemia and meningitis caused by penicillin-resistant strains. The therapeutic alternative to penicillin in the treatment of respiratory tract infection may be second-generation cephalosporins such as cefuroxime or cefamandole.

Antibiotic medication and bacterial resistance to antibiotics: a survey of children in a Vietnamese community

Abstract: The aim was to investigate antibiotic use and antibiotic susceptibility of respiratory tract pathogens in children aged 1-5 years in Bavi Vietnam. Nasopharynx and throat specimens were collected from 200 children from randomly selected households in a demographically defined population. Respiratory isolates were tested for antibiotic susceptibility according to the standard disk diffusion method. A questionnaire survey of carers elicited information on type of antibiotics used duration of treatment where the antibiotics had been purchased type of treatment information retained by carers and episodes of illness preceding the study. 82% of the children had at least one symptom of acute respiratory tract infection in the 4 weeks prior to the study and of these 91% were treated with antibiotics. The most commonly used antibiotics were ampicillin (74%) penicillin (12%) amoxicillin (11%) erythromycin (5%) tetracycline (4%) and streptomycin (2%). Ampicillin was used for 3.3 days on average (standard deviation [SD]: 1.8) and penicillin for 2.6 days (SD: 0.7). When deciding which antibiotic to use 67% of the carers consulted the pharmacy seller 11% decided themselves and 22% followed the doctors prescription. The carrier rate of Streptococcus pneumoniae Haemophilus influenzae and Moraxella catarrhalis was 50% 39% and 17% respectively. Isolates from 145 children were susceptibility tested and 74% were found to carry resistant pathogens. Of the tested isolates 90% of S. pneumoniae 68% of H. influenzae and 74% of M. catarrhalis were resistant to at least one antibiotic. The mean number of antibiotics (susceptible strains excluded) to which resistance was found was 2.0 (SD: 1.2) 2.5 (SD: 1.8) and 2.1 (SD: 0.9) respectively. S. pneumoniae and H. influenzae showed high resistance to tetracycline (88% and 32% respectively) trimethoprim/sulphonamide (32% and 44%) and chloramphenicol(25% and 24%). 23% of S. pneumoniae were erythromycin-resistant and 18% of H. influenzae isolates were resistant to ampicillin. There was a significant difference in ampicillin and penicillin resistance between the group of children previously treated with beta lactam antibiotics and the group of children who did not receive antibiotics. As reported by the carers children in Bavi are treated with antibiotics frequently. Most antibiotics were obtained without consulting a doctor. High levels of antibiotic resistance and high prevalence of multidrug-resistant strains were found among respiratory pathogens. The existence of a large reservoir of resistance genes among children in low-income countries represents a threat to the success of antibiotic therapy throughout the world. Multi-faceted programs to improve rational use of antibiotics in Vietnam are urgently needed. (authors)

The Interaction and Transport of β-Lactam Antibiotics with the Cloned Rat Renal Organic Anion Transporter 1

Abstract: In the present study, we investigated the interactions between antibiotics, especially beta-lactam antibiotics, and rat renal organic anion transporter 1 (OAT1). [(14)C]p-Aminohippurate (PAH) uptake via OAT1 expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes was inhibited by all of the penicillins and cephalosporins tested. Penicillin G, carbenicillin, cephaloridine, cephalothin, cefazolin, and cephalexin inhibited [(14)C]PAH uptake via OAT1 in a competitive manner (K(i) = 0.29-2.33 mM). Cinoxacin, a quinolone gyrase inhibitor, also inhibited PAH uptake via OAT1. Other antibiotics, such as gentamicin, streptomycin, and vancomycin, which do not contain anionic moieties, did not interact with OAT1. [(3)H]Penicillin G and [(14)C]cephaloridine were demonstrated to be transported via OAT1. Using the cells that stably expressed OAT1, we analyzed the cytotoxicity of several beta-lactam antibiotics. Cells expressing OAT1 showed higher susceptibility to cephaloridine (a potentially nephrotoxic beta-lactam antibiotic) toxicity than did control cells. The present study suggests that OAT1 is the major organic anion transporter in the kidney that is responsible for the renal secretion of antibiotics, especially that of beta-lactam antibiotics. Furthermore, the culture cell system expressing OAT1 was revealed to be useful for the prediction of the nephrotoxicity of beta-lactam antibiotics.

The depot administration of penicillin G and gentamicin in acrylic bone cement.

Abstract: The in vitro elution of penicillin and gentamicin from polymethylmethacrylate was studied qualitatively and quantitatively. Penicillin eluted poorly from Simplex P. Higher levels of penicillin eluted in sustained fashion from Palacos; concentrations of one microgram or more per gram of cement were recorded during the thirteen weeks of observation. Although the in vitro leaching of gentamicin from Palacos cement was similar to that of penicillin, there were two important differences: (1) most of the gentamicin leaching from the Palacos did so within the first twenty-four hours, and (2) the concentrations decreased to less than one microgram per gram of cement after the sixth week of observation. The in vivo elutions of penicillin and gentamicin from Palacos were studied in canine femora. The concentrations of penicillin and gentamicin in the endosteal bone at the bone-cement interface exceeded the concentrations found after intravenous administration of either agent. Bactericidal concentrations of gentamicin in osseous tissue persisted for seven months after implantation. Peak concentrations in serum following the depot administration of either penicillin or gentamicin occurred within thirty minutes of implantation. Concentrations of gentamicin in serum did not approach toxic levels. These data suggest that a high concentration of either penicillin or gentamicin can be obtained at the bone-cement interface--one of the vulnerable sites in total joint arthroplasty--for a prolonged period with the depot administration of these agents in acrylic bone cement. These osseous concentrations can be achieved without exposing the patient to elevated levels in serum and their potential toxic side effects.