[Therapeutic effect of lividomycin on infections of the respiratory tract (author's transl)].

Therapeutic effect of lividomycin was observed in patients with infections of the respiratory tract (infections in association with bronchiectasis, mixed infections of cavities after negative conversion of tubercle bacilli, pneumonia, and so forth). Significant improvement of clinical symptoms was observed in 15 cases and no improvement in 4 cases. Lividomycin was administered at a dose of 1 g/day for 3 to 15 days. Staphylococcus aureus (9 cases), Klebsiella pneumoniae (1 case), alpha-hemolytic Streptococcus (3 cases), Aerococcus (4 cases) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (1 case) were suggested to be causative organisms in the above-mentioned patients. (In one case, however, causative organism was not determined.) Lividomycin seemed to be effective in cases of infections with Staphylococcus aureus, alpha-hemolytic Streptococcus and Klebsiella pneumoniae, whereas not effective in a case of infection with Pseudomonas aeruginosa. In order to differentiate causative organisms from the organisms constantly existing on the upper respiratory tract, alkali treatment was employed as an aid for the determination of the causative organisms. However, further studies are desirable for the evaluation of this procedure.