Gentamicin in the treatment of staphylococcal infections.

The aminoglycoside antibiotic, gentamicin, was used to treat staphylococcal infections in eighty-six patients in an open multicentre trial. Most of the infections involved the skin and soft tissue and the lower respiratory tract. Staphylococcus aureus was the only organism isolated in seventy-four patients; mixed flora were found in twelve. Gentamicin was administered, intramuscularly or intravenously, for 7 to 12 days (mean, 10 days) in a mean dose of 3-27 mg/kg per day. Clinical and bacteriological assessment of results indicated a complete resolution of the infection in fifty-three patients (61-6%) and a marked, moderate, or slight improvement in an additional twenty-nine patients (33.7%). Thus, a total of eighty-two patients ((95.3%) showed cure or improvement while only four patients (4-6%) failed to do so. Staphylococci persisted in six patients. Superinfection also occurred in six patients, however, it was considered to be clinically significant in only four of them. Screening for eighth cranial nerve, renal, hepatic and haematological function, before, during, and after gentamicin treatment, revealed no adverse reactions in these patients.