[In vitro antibacterial effects of spectinomycin and penicillin G on Neisseria gonorrhoeae singly and in combination (author's transl)].

The antibacterial effects of spectinomycin and penicillin G on clinical isolates of Neisseria gonorrhoeae were studied. The concentrations of penicillin G at which the isolates showed drug sensitivity ranged widely from 0.011 to 6.25 mug/ml. Some of the isolates were resistant to penicillin G. Sensitivity to spectinomycin was observed at the drug concentrations ranging from 3.13 to 12.5 mug/ml. About 60% of the isolates were sensitive to 6.25 mug/ml of spectinomycin, and those isolates which were resistant to penicillin G showed good sensitivity to spectinomycin. No correlation in sensitivity was noted between the two drugs. Tests for their bactericidal activities on bouillon media revealed that the addition of spectinomycin at the concentration of 12.5 mug/ml or over produced a marked bactericidal effect in a short time while penicillin G exhibited a bactericidal or bacteriostatic effect depending upon the concentration used. A synergistic effect of a penicillin and an aminoglycoside antibiotic was observed in these isolates of N. gonorrhoea as was in the isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Where penicillin G and spectinomycin were used in combination, a simultaneous addition of both the drugs produced the most marked synergistic effect. Morphology of N. gonorrhoeae cells exposed to either of these drugs was examined under a scanning electron microscope. Exposure to spectinomycin at the level of 6.25 mug/ml resulted in almost no morphological change. At 6.25 mug/ml of the drug, however, a roughened cell surface, a bleb-like structure or a state suggesting the loosening of such a bleb-like structure was noted. The addition of penicillin G at 0.19 mug/ml led to an impairment of cell division at one hour of exposure and to cell swelling and lysis with further exposure. At 1.19 mug/ml of the drug, these processes of cell swelling and lysis took place early.