Therapeutic possibilities in Pseudomonas infections.

Acute pseudomonas infections require treatment with antibiotics producing a bactericidal effect. The 
most useful are gentamicin, tobramycin, sisomicin and polymyxin B. In resistant 
strains, amikacin is indicated in addition. Carbenicillin, ticarcillin, carfenicillin or azocillin 
should never be given alone but in combination with some of 
the above preparations. Other drugs, such as chloramphenicol, tetracycline or streptomycin, 
though effective in vitro, should be avoided. Chemotherapy may be complemented 
by passive immunization either with hyperimmune specific gama globulin or hyperimmune 
plasma. A programmatic item of combined treatment is active immunization, especially 
with toxoid vaccine. Chronic processes are not, perhaps with the exception 
of urinary infections, suitable for antibiotic therapy. For this reason effective 
polyvalent vaccines should be developed from appropriate strains. It is now 
certain that in infections caused by mucous strains (most frequently encountered 
in cystic fibrosis) the vaccine should be prepared from these strains, 
since they have distinct functional and antigenic characteristics. 