COMPARATIVE IN-VITRO STUDIES ON THE BETA-LACTAMASE-INHIBITING EFFECT OF CLAVULANIC ACID AND SULBACTAM ON AMPICILLIN-RESISTANT ENTEROBACTERIACEAE (REPRINTED FROM ARZNEIM FORSCH, VOL 37, PG 1116, 1987)

Clavulanic acid and sulbactam alone are ineffective against Pseudomona s and enterococci. Staphylococci and Enterobacteriaceae are inhibited by high concentrations not attainable under clinical conditions. Strai ns of Acinetobacter, especially A. lwoffii are susceptible to clavulan ic acid and highly susceptible to sulbactam. The ampicillin/sulbactam combination is superior to ampicillin/ clavulanic acid against Citroba cter freundii, Enterobacter spp. and Morganella morganii. The latter c ombination is superior against Klebsiella spp. and Escherichia coli. A ntagonistic effects are more frequent with the clavulanic acid combina tion (Enterobacter spp. and C. freundii) but are rarely observed with the sulbactam combination (Providencia spp, and P. rettgeri).