THE BACTERICIDAL ACTIVITY OF CLARITHROMYCIN VERSUS AMPICILLIN ALONE AND IN COMBINATION WITH OMEPRAZOLE AND OR BISMUTH AGAINST CLARITHROMYCIN-SUSCEPTIBLE AND. CLARITHROMYCIN-RESISTANT STRAINS OF HELICOBACTER-PYLORI/

We evaluated the in vitro bactericidal effect of clarithromycin versus ampicillin alone and in combination against clarithromycin-sensitive and clarithromycin-resistant strains of Helicobacter pylori. No combin ation containing clarithromycin achieved complete bactericidal effect against clarithromycin-resistant strains. Complete bactericidal effect ions achieved for all strains by triple-agent combinations that conta ined bismuth, omeprazole, and relatively high concentrations of ampici llin. These in vitro results demonstrate the additive bactericidal act ivity provided by a combination of agents for the eradication of H, py lori. Bismuth may play a particularly important role in the bactericid al effect. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Inc.