[Evaluation of the modulatory effects of in vivo antibiotics on phagocytosis in mice using various methods].

The influence of cefoxitin and cefotaxim on phagocytosis in vitro and intracellular microbicidal activity of peritoneal macrophages and granulocytes was examined. In addition, the influence of these antibiotics on the elimination rate of Candida was controlled 4 and 24 hours after intraperitoneal injection. The two antibiotics were shown to have no influence on phagocytosis of Candida. Microbicidal activity was inhibited only by cefoxitin. This result is consistent with the reduction of metabolic activity of phagocytes caused by cefoxitin but not cefotaxim, in vivo as well as in vitro. Both antibiotics induce a reduction of Candida cells recovered 4 hours after intraperitoneal injection. However, the effect of cefotaxim was significantly more pronounced than that of cefoxitin. 24 hours after infection, the result was comparable but the number of Candida cells recovered in the spleen was higher with cefoxitin than with cefotaxim. The clinical bearing of these results remains to be discussed.