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The influence of human monocytes on the antibacterial activity of vancomycin and teicoplanin against Staphylococcus
1Department of Infectious Diseases, University Hospital, Leiden, The Netherlands.
Abstract:
The influence of human monocytes on the antibacterial activity of vancomycin and teicoplanin against Staphylococcus aureus was investigated. Monocytes, which neither phagocytosed nor killed bacteria because no serum was present in the incubation medium, enhanced the effect of both antibiotics. When phagocytosis and intracellular killing were induced by the use of pre-opsonized S. aureus or the addition of serum during the incubation, the antibacterial effect of vancomycin and teicoplanin was diminished. Both antibiotics showed intracellular activity against S. aureus ingested by monocytes. In the first hour of incubation the rate of killing of ingested S. aureus was greater than that of non-phagocytosed S. aureus.