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Ampicillin or cefotaxime, alone or in combination with amikacin, were tested at levels achievable in CSF for bactericidal activity against eight clinical isolates of Haemophilus influenzae serotype b. Endotoxin release was determined by the limulus amoebocyte lysate test and by macrophage tumour necrosis factor production for each beta-lactam antibiotic, alone and in combination with amikacin. Accelerated killing was observed when amikacin was added to ampicillin or cefotaxime; however, the additional antibiotic-induced bacterial lysis observed after the addition of amikacin to beta-lactam antibiotics was not associated with an increase in endotoxin release.

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Morphine hydrochloride solutions stored in disposable infusion devices degraded very slowly, particularly when preserved with sodium metabisulphite. The solutions are stable over 5 days, the maximum period of storage normally required when using disposable infusers.

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Alcaligenes xylosoxidans, an environmental gram-negative bacillus, was isolated within a 1-month period from six patients in a pediatric burns unit. Twelve isolates were studied, one from each of the six patients (five from wound cultures and one from a blood culture) and one from each of six contaminated atomizers containing chlorhexidine diluted to 600 mg/l. The biochemical and susceptibility patterns of all the isolates were similar, and their DNA enzyme restriction patterns were identical. The epidemic strain of Alcaligenes xylosoxidans was probably introduced into the atomizers during handling of the diluted solution, which failed to eliminate it.