Aminoglycosides and polymyxin B as inhibitors of antigen attachment to erythrocytes for agglutination by Salmonella antibodies.

Previous investigations indicate that polymyxin B inhibits attachment of lipopolysaccharides (O antigens) to erythrocytes and subsequent hemagglutination by the corresponding bacterial antibodies. In this study the effect of this antibiotic was compared to that of the aminoglycosides gentamicin, tobramycin, and amikacin. Using both crude O antigens and highly purified lipopolysaccharides, polymyxin B was at least 100 times more effective than the aminoglycosides. Amikacin proved to be less effective than gentamicin and tobramycin.