Antibacterial activity of niridazole against Salmonellae

Fifty-six strains, representing eight species of salmonellae of diverse geographic origin and possessing a variety of antimicrobial resistance profiles, were tested for susceptibility to niridazole by the agar dilution method. Calculated MICs for 50 and 90% of strains were 4.8 and 16.0 mg/liter, respectively, with a susceptibility range of 0.25 to 32 mg/liter. No obvious species differences were noted. Niridazole was found to be rapidly and powerfully bactericidal. No significant difference was detected between MICs and MBCs. Except for a strain-dependent effect with a subset of multiply resistant salmonella isolates, no inoculum effect was demonstrated.