PENICILLIN AND SULFONAMIDES IN THE THERAPY OF ACTINOMYCOSIS

Abstract

In 1941 we¹reported 3 cases of actinomycosis successfully treated with sulfanilamide. Since then we have collected 16 additional cases treated in the Stanford medical, pediatric and surgical services at Stanford-Lane Hospitals, at the San Francisco Hospital and as private patients. These cases of actinomycosis include 3 of the pulmonary, 2 of the abdominal and 11 of the cervicofacial types. In the last three years a number of articles have reported the use of sulfonamides in the treatment of actinomycosis.²The opinions expressed in general have been that the sulfonamides are of great value. Not only the cervicofacial types but also extensive abdominal and pulmonary types have been cured, or at least arrested, for long periods of time after the use of sulfonamides. Penicillin has been used for too short a time to draw final conclusions as to its efficacy in treating actinomycosis. Herrell, Nichols and Heilman³