Follow-up study of therapy in forty-eight culturally proved cases of brucellosis; streptomycin and sulfadiazine, aureomycin, and chloramphenicol (chloromycetin).

Abstract

THE THERAPY of human brucellosis has been under investigation in this clinic for several years, and the results of experimental and clinical studies have been presented in a number of reports. 1 The first decisive therapeutic advancement in brucellosis was recorded by Pulaski and Amspacher, 2 who pointed out the bene- ficial effect of the simultaneous administration of streptomycin and sulfadiazine. This observation was soon confirmed by others. 3 Although the combination of streptomycin and sulfadiazine proved to be an effective form of therapy, such treatment was not without certain disadvantages. Streptomycin had to be administered parenterally, and sulfadiazine produced toxic reactions. But more disturbing were the number of infections that relapsed after a temporary period of improvement. A further advance in the therapy of human brucellosis was made with the introduction of aureomycin. Several experimental and clinical reports, in addition to those from this clinic, have demonstrated the anti-Brucella