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Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 1972 January; 1(1): 30-34
Copyright © 1972 American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Antibiotic Synergism Against Listeria monocytogenes¹

Infectious Disease Unit, Children's Service, and Bacteriology Laboratory, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02114
Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115
Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115
Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115

ABSTRACT

The effectiveness of ampicillin, penicillin, streptomycin, and gentamicin against 20 strains of Listeria monocytogenes was studied in vitro. For all strains, the minimal bactericidal concentration (MBC) of both ampicillin and penicillin was much higher than the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC). The MBC of both streptomycin and gentamicin was close to the MIC, but relatively high concentrations of these antibiotics were necessary to inhibit the growth of most of the strains of Listeria. The combination of penicillin plus streptomycin was synergistic against 19 of 20 strains and in the remaining strain produced enhanced killing (but of less magnitude than our criterion for synergism). Combinations of penicillin plus gentamicin, ampicillin plus streptomycin, and ampicillin plus gentamicin produced enhanced killing against all strains tested. No antagonism was observed when ampicillin or penicillin was combined with streptomycin or gentamicin.

¹ Presented in abstract form at the Central Society for Clinical Research, November 1970, Chicago, Ill. (J. Lab. Clin. Med. 76:1001–1002, 1970).

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