Comparative evaluation of five aminoglycosides for treatment.

Gentamicin, tobramycin, sisomicin, amikacin and kanamycin are compared for therapeutic use by correlating the in vitro minimal inhibitory concentration with the in vivo concentration of the antibiotic attainable in the serum at half the time intervall between two administrations of the drugs. Using this method of evaluation, E. coli, Enterobacter and sensitive strains of the Klebsiella and Pseudomonas species can be treated in principle equally well with gentamicin, tobramycin and sisomicin, and to a large degree also with amikacin. Gentamicin, sisomicin and amikacin are useful against Serratia infections; but in each case, a higher dosage is needed. Within the family of aminoglycosides, sisomicin has a noteworthy activity against Enterobacter and Proteus species, while tobramycin is most outstanding against pseudomonas strains. Amikacin is especially useful against infections involving Klebsiella, Providencia and Pseudomonas strains with resistance to nearly all antibiotics including the other aminoglycosides.