Efficacy of the combination ampicillin plus ceftriaxone in the treatment of a case of enterococcal endocarditis due to Enterococcus faecalis highly resistant to gentamicin: efficacy of the "ex vivo" synergism method

J Chemother. 2004 Aug;16(4):400-3. doi: 10.1179/joc.2004.16.4.400.

Abstract

The case of a patient with highly gentamicin-resistant Enterococcus faecalis endocarditis treated with an ampicillin + ceftriaxone combination is described. We have designed a method to evaluate synergism between the antibacterial activity of patient's serum taken during a given antibiotic regimen (ampicillin) to which another antibiotic (ceftriaxone) is added in vitro. In this patient the two-drug combination was able to stop the bacteremia and prevent the infection of the prosthetic valve.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Ampicillin / administration & dosage*
  • Ceftriaxone / administration & dosage*
  • Drug Resistance, Bacterial
  • Drug Therapy, Combination / administration & dosage*
  • Endocarditis, Bacterial / drug therapy*
  • Endocarditis, Bacterial / microbiology
  • Enterococcus faecalis / drug effects*
  • Enterococcus faecalis / isolation & purification
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Gentamicins / pharmacology*
  • Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / diagnosis
  • Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / drug therapy*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Risk Assessment
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Gentamicins
  • Ceftriaxone
  • Ampicillin