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Tinidazole — microbiology, pharmacology and efficacy in anaerobic infections

Tinidazol — Mikrobiologie, Pharmakologie und Wirksamkeit bei anaeroben Infektionen

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Summary

Tinidazole is a 5-nitroimidazole with selective activity against anaerobic bacteria and protozoa. It is bactericidal at low concentrations and its spectrum covers most anaerobic bacteria and some capnophilic microorganisms. Anaerobic bacteria known to be resistant to tinidazole include anaerobic streptococci, actinomyces and propionibacteria. Tinidazole is one of the most active antibacterial agents againstBacteroides fragilis which is one of the most resistant species of anaerobic bacteria. Only a few strains have been reported to be resistant. Tinidazole has been shown to be efficacious in protozoal infections such as trichomonal vaginitis, amoebiasis and giardiasis. Clinical studies have also shown that tinidazole is efficacious in the treatment of anaerobic infections including respiratory tract infections, intra-abdominal sepsis and obstetrical and gynecological infections. Since tinidazole has no activity against aerobic bacteria, it must be combined with other antibacterial agents in the treatment of mixed infections involving aerobic and anaerobic bacteria. Tinidazole has also been used successfully alone or in combination with other antimicrobial agents for prophylaxis in patients undergoing elective colonic and abdominal surgery, emergency appendectomy and gynecological surgery.

Zusammenfassung

Tinidazol ist ein 5-nitro imidazol mit selektiver Aktivität gegen anaerobe Bakterien und Protozoen. Es ist in niedrigen Konzentrationen bakterizid; sein Wirkspektrum deckt die meisten anaeroben Bakterien und einige kapnophile Mikroorganismen ab. Zu den gegenüber Tinidazol als resistent bekannten anaeroben Bakterien gehören anaerobe Streptokokken, Actinomyces und Propionibakterien. Tinidazol gehört zu den wirksamsten Agentien gegenüberBacteroides fragilis, einer der resistentesten Anaerobier-Spezies. Bisher wurden nur wenige resistente Stämme mitgeteilt. Tinidazol hat sich bei Protozoen-Infektionen wie der Trichomonaden-Vaginitis, Amoebiasis und Giardiasis als wirksam erwiesen. In klinischen Studien wurde außerdem gezeigt, daß anaerobe Infektionen einschließlich Atemwegsinfektionen, intraabdomineller Sepsis, geburtshilflichen und gynäkologischen Infektionen mit Tinidazol wirksam behandelt werden können. Bei Mischinfektionen mit aeroben und anaeroben Bakterien muß Tinidazol mit anderen Antibiotika kombiniert werden, da es gegen aerobe Bakterien unwirksam ist. Tinidazol wurde mit Erfolg auch zur Prophylaxe bei elektiver Kolonchirurgie und Abdominalchirurgie, bei Notfall-Appendektomie und gynäkologischen Operationen entweder allein oder in Kombination mit anderen antimikrobiellen Substanzen eingesetzt.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Bacteriology, National Bacteriological Laboratory, S-105 21, Stockholm

    C. E. Nord M.D.

  2. Department of General Surgery, Huddinge University Hospital, S-141 86, Huddinge

    L. Kager M.D.

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Additional information

Review of the International Symposium on Tinidazole and Anaerobic Infections, Edinburgh 1982, and a Survey of the Literature.

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Nord, C.E., Kager, L. Tinidazole — microbiology, pharmacology and efficacy in anaerobic infections. Infection 11, 54–60 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01651361

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