Studies on the in vitro development of drug resistance of Proteeae to sulfonamides, trimethoprim and combinations of a sulfonamide and trimethoprim.

A strain of Proteus mirabilis repeatedly subcultured in the presence of a combination of sulfisoxazole and 0.4 microgram/ml of trimethoprim and a strain of P. vulgaris subcultured in the presence of sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim combined in a 5:1 ratio gradually developed resistance to the combinations. However, the level of resistance developed by the organisms exposed to the combination was always appreciably lower than the level of resistance developed by the same strains exposed to either the sulfonamide or trimethoprim alone.