COMBINATIONS OF ANTIBIOTICS

The advent of the more recent penicillins and aminoglycosides has increased the laboratory expectation of enhanced antibacterial effects from their combination. The use of broth screening tests reveals only insignificant antagonism with combinations of different groups of current bactericides. A broth screening test which is restricted to a number of specific antibiotic pairs is a worth-while and practical routine test. Clinical documentation has Increased for the successful use of combined bactericides when they are individually applied against most pathogenic bacteria. In contrast to previous recommendations which have limited their use to a few specific situations, we believe that combinations of the currently available drugs have general application to most serious infections when there Is doubt as to the therapeutic response.