Rifampin therapy of Staphylococcus epidermidis. Use in infections from indwelling artificial devices
G. L. Archer, M. J. Tenenbaum and H. B. Haywood 3rd
Rifampin was added to existing antibiotic regimens in two patients with
Staphylococcus epidermidis infections; one patient had prosthetic valve
endocarditis and the other had an infection of a CSF shunt. The addition of
rifampin increased serum or CSF bactericidal titers 16-fold or greater and
was correlated with a favorable clinical response. The results of tests for
tube-dilution antibiotic susceptibility showed rifampin to be the most
active of all antibiotics tested against the patients' organisms. The
combinations of gentamicin sulfate, nafcillin sodium, or vancomycin
hydrochloride with rifampin prevented the emergence of rifampin resistance
in vitro and promoted enhanced killing when compared with either antibiotic
alone.
