Streptomycin as a Treatment for Infectious Sinusitis of Turkeys

Abstract

During experimental studies with an egg propagated agent of infectious sinusitis it was learned that a mixture of penicillin and streptomycin (10,000 units each Per ml. of infected a.a. fluid) inhibited the agent rendering it non-infective. (Hitchner 1949). Titrations of the activity of these antibiotics were studied separately in turkeys and it was found that streptomycin was highly effective in inhibiting the sinusitis agent. As little as 2.5 mg. (2,500 units) of streptomycin base per ml. of infective a.a. fluid prevented infection in turkeys when directly inoculated into the infraorbital sinuses. This was the lowest concentration tested and was not the end point of the inhibitory action. Penicillin did not prove to be a specific inhibitory drug since concentrations of 20,000 units per ml. of infective a.a. fluid did not prevent infection when directly inoculated into the sinuses.The birds which were treated with streptomycin were mature White Holland turkeys .