We evaluated relationships between production of beta-lactamase and their resistances to beta-lactams, effect of sulbactam (SBT), a beta-lactamase inhibitor, against beta-lactam resistant strains, and combined effect of sulbactam/cefoperazone (SBT/CPZ) with other antibiotics against multi-resistant strains. Through these studies, we obtained the following results. 1. Most of the strains resistant to beta-lactams were beta-lactamase producers. 2. Relationships between the production of beta-lactamase and their resistances to beta-lactams indicate that their resistances generally were the highest in producers of both penicillinase (PCase) and cephalosporinase (CEPase), moderate in producers of either PCase or CEPase, and the lowest in beta-lactamase non-producers. Most of highly-resistant strains of MRSA appeared to be beta-lactamase non-producers though some exceptions were observed among methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Serratia marcescens and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. 3. SBT showed good effect against PCase producers, moderate effect against producers of both PCase and CEPase, little effect against CEPase producers, and no effect against beta-lactamase non-producers. 4. Results of combined effect of SBT/CPZ with other antibiotics indicated that good synergism was obtained by combining SBT/CPZ with fosfomycin (FOM) or piperacillin against multi-resistant strains of Proteus spp., Enterobacter cloacae, and S. marcescens, by combining SBT/CPZ with ceftazidime (CAZ) or FOM in methicillin-sensitive S. aureus and by combining SBT/CPZ with CAZ in P. aeruginosa. 5. Better synergism was obtained with the higher concentrations of antibiotics.