EFFECTS OF SOME ANTIBACTERIAL AGENTS ON THE PHAGOCYTOSIS OF 32P‐LABELLED ESCHERICHIA COLI BY HUMAN POLYMORPHONUCLEAR CELLS

Abstract

Gentamicin, trimethoprim, cephalothin, colistin, erythromycin, oxytetracycline and chloramphenicol were studied in a phagocytic system. A radiolabelled strain of E. coli was used as test bacterium and human polymorphonuclear cells were used as phagocytes. Except for trimethoprim and cephalothin, there was a tendency towards depression of the process of phagocytosis in the presence of high concentrations of the various antibiotics. Colistin in a high concentration (83 μg/ml) exerted the most significant effect.