[Experimental study of the antibacterial activity and chemotherapeutic effectiveness of amikacin sulfate]

In vitro antibacterial activity of amikacin against 250 strains of various microorganisms was studied. It was shown that the antibiotic had a broad antibacterial spectrum and was active against gentamicin and sisomicin resistant strains of Enterobacteriaceae and Pseudomonas. By the antibacterial spectrum amikacin was close to kanamycin. Still it differed from kanamycin by activity against P. aeruginosa. By the specific activity gentamicin and sisomicin were superior to amikacin. However, since amikacin was active against gentamicin resistant strains of various microorganisms it was considered advisable to use it as a reserve antibiotic in treatment of infections caused by such strains. High in vivo efficacy of amikacin was shown in experimental sepsis of albino mice due to staphylococci and gramnegative bacteria sensitive to the aminoglycosides and P. aeruginosa strains resistant to gentamicin and sisomicin.