[Effects of a combination therapy consisting of arbekacin and ampicillin of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus].
Investigations were made on effects of a combination therapy consisting of arbekacin (ABK) and ampicillin (ABPC) against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). The following conclusions were drawn. 1. A frequency of FIC index to be < or = 0.5 upon a combination therapy consisting of ABK and ABPC against MRSA was 48.7%, hence this therapy showed better antibacterial effects than the other 8 combination therapies consisting of ABK and other antibiotics previously studied. 2. A combination therapy consisting of ABK and ABPC against MRSA was better than any other combination therapy because ABPC had a higher binding affinity with penicillin-binding protein 3 of MRSA, and because a high antibacterial activity of ABPC was maintained during the combination therapy. ABPC did not lose antibacterial activity largely because MRSA dose not produce beta-lactamase, or most of MRSA produces little beta-lactamase activity. 3. Our data indicate that the success of a combination therapy against MRSA depends upon the effects of the drug under sub MIC concentrations.