Aminoglycoside Antibiotics: Antibacterial Efficacy in Animal Models of Infection

Abstract

The antibacterial efficacy of aminoglycoside antibiotics in animal models of experimental osteomyelitis, pneumonia, pyelonephritis, meningitis, endocarditis, and severe septicemia is examined. In addition, the correlation of in vivo efficacy of two-drug antibiotic combinations with their in vitro synergistic activity against a number of clinical isolates of Klebsiella pneumoniae is described in an animal model of severe klebsiella sepsis. In general, aminoglycoside antibiotics are not very effective when used alone for the treatment of experimental infections in the organ systems examined in this review. However, there is substantial evidence indicating that the effectiveness of other antimicrobial agents may be enhanced, as measured by more rapid bacterial killing or by increased survival, when given in combination with aminoglycosides. It was not possible to determine the precise importance of animal models of infection in evaluating the efficacy of aminoglycoside antibiotics in infections in humans. However, analysis of animal models has provided some guidelines for evaluating aminoglycosides in combination with other antibiotics for treatment of some infections in patients.