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Published on: February 10, 2011
Infective endocarditis caused by Enterococcus faecalis treated with continuous infusion of ampicillin without
Taku Ogawa1, Masatoshi Sato, Shinsuke Yonekawa
1Center for Infectious Diseases, Nara Medical University, Japan. t_ogawa@naramed-u.ac.jp
Abstract:
Aminoglycosides are useful antimicrobial agents for treating infective endocarditis; however, they occasionally cause troublesome side effects, such as nephrotoxicity and ototoxicity. We herein report a case of infective endocarditis caused by Enterococcus faecalis that was treated successfully with continuous infusion of ampicillin without adjunctive aminoglycosides. The serum ampicillin concentrations were higher than the minimal inhibitory concentration for the target strain. Although the use of ampicillin monotherapy is currently avoided because double β-lactam therapy is reportedly more effective, continuous penicillin administration remains an effective therapeutic choice for treating infective endocarditis.
Insights
This study presents a successful case of infective endocarditis treatment using ampicillin monotherapy. Continuous ampicillin infusion achieved effective serum concentrations, offering an alternative to aminoglycosides and their associated toxicities.
Area of Science:
- Infectious Diseases
- Pharmacology
- Cardiology
Background:
- Infective endocarditis is a serious infection often treated with aminoglycosides.
- Aminoglycosides carry risks of nephrotoxicity and ototoxicity.
- Enterococcus faecalis is a common pathogen in infective endocarditis.
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