The Journal of infectious diseases
-
Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Differential antibiotic-induced endotoxin release in severe melioidosis.
Severe melioidosis is a life-threatening, systemic bacterial infection caused by Burkholderia pseudomallei. A prospective, randomized treatment trial was conducted in northeast Thailand to compare ceftazidime (a penicillin-binding protein [PBP]-3-specific agent that causes release of large amounts of endotoxin in vitro) and imipenem (a PBP-2-specific agent that kills B. pseudomallei more rapidly but releases low amounts of endotoxin) in severe melioidosis over a 6-h time course after the first dose of antibiotic. ⋯ Differential antibiotic-induced endotoxin release is demonstrable in severe melioidosis. These differences in endotoxin release did not appear to have a significant impact on survival in this group of patients.