INCREASED BACTERICIDAL ACTIVITY AS DOCUMENTED BY SERUM BACTERICIDAL TITERS FOR A TRIPLE COMBINATION OF CELL-WALL ACTIVE AGENTS AGAINST GENTAMICIN-RESISTANT ENTEROCOCCI

Infections caused by enterococci have become increasingly difficult to treat because these bacteria are becoming increasingly resistant to commonly used antibiotics such as ampicillin, gentamicin and vancomycin. A consensus for an optimal therapy of enterococcal infections caused by resistant isolates has not yet been determined. We present a patient with prolonged enterococcal sepsis in whom a combination of ampicillin, vancomycin and imipenem was ultimately sucessfull in suppressing enterococcal bacteremia. The enhanced activity of this triple combination was documented by the results of serial serum bactericidal titers.