TY - JOUR
T1 - β-lactamase activity in human pus
AU - Bryant, Richard E.
AU - Rashad, Abdel L.
AU - Mazza, Joyce A.
AU - Hammond, Dianne
N1 - Funding Information:
This study was supported in part by a grant from the Upjohn Company.
PY - 1980/10
Y1 - 1980/10
N2 - Pus was obtained from patients with polymicrobial intraabdominal abscesses or polymi-crobial empyema. Physical and chemical characteristics of 12 specimens were examined, and bacterial isolates were enumerated. Pus supernatant of six specimens rapidly inactivated penicillin, cephalothin, and cefazolin. Carbenicillin and ticarcillin were similarly degraded by supernatant of certain pus specimens. Cefoxitin, chloramphenicol, and clindamycin were not appreciably inactivated by pus supernatant. Degradation of penicillin and cephalosporin congeners in pus was due to the presence of β-lactamase, as shown by chemical interaction with nitrocefin, chromatography, and inhibition by the β-lactamase inhibitor clavulanic acid. Pus supernatant containing β-lactamase activity reduced the bactericidal activity of carbenicillin against Bacteroides fragilis in whole pus in an abscess model in vitro. Bactericidal activity of clindamycin or cefoxitin was not impaired in pus containing β-lactamase.
AB - Pus was obtained from patients with polymicrobial intraabdominal abscesses or polymi-crobial empyema. Physical and chemical characteristics of 12 specimens were examined, and bacterial isolates were enumerated. Pus supernatant of six specimens rapidly inactivated penicillin, cephalothin, and cefazolin. Carbenicillin and ticarcillin were similarly degraded by supernatant of certain pus specimens. Cefoxitin, chloramphenicol, and clindamycin were not appreciably inactivated by pus supernatant. Degradation of penicillin and cephalosporin congeners in pus was due to the presence of β-lactamase, as shown by chemical interaction with nitrocefin, chromatography, and inhibition by the β-lactamase inhibitor clavulanic acid. Pus supernatant containing β-lactamase activity reduced the bactericidal activity of carbenicillin against Bacteroides fragilis in whole pus in an abscess model in vitro. Bactericidal activity of clindamycin or cefoxitin was not impaired in pus containing β-lactamase.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0019156388&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0019156388&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1093/infdis/142.4.594
DO - 10.1093/infdis/142.4.594
M3 - Article
C2 - 6969281
AN - SCOPUS:0019156388
SN - 0022-1899
VL - 142
SP - 594
EP - 601
JO - Journal of Infectious Diseases
JF - Journal of Infectious Diseases
IS - 4
ER -