Abstract

Activity of sisomicin was assayed against 45 clinical isolates of mycobacteria in vitro. Sisomicin was as active as streptomycin or gentamicin against strains susceptible to each of the three drugs. Sisomicin inhibited growth of strains that were highly resistant to isoniazid or streptomycin, or both. Sisomicin and gentamicin were weakly tuberculostatic and less efficacious than equivalent dosages of streptomycin in treatment of mice infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Because these drugs are highly active against mycobacteria in vitro and because their action in other infected species is unknown, physicians should be alert to the possibility that their short-term investigative or therapeutic use for gramnegative bacillary infections may impede recovery of mycobacteria from clinical specimens.

This content is only available as a PDF.
You do not currently have access to this article.