The effects of aureomycin and of penicillin against Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae in vitro and in vivo.

Few reports are found in the literature concerning the use of aureomycin in animal disease therapy. McCullough, Kiser, and Migaki (1949) and Easterbrooks (1950) have reported beneficial results in the treatment of staphylococcic mastitis of cattle. Prier (1950) reported that aureomycin was effective in the treatment of experimental Pasteurelka multocida infections of chickens. Little (1948) reported that aureomycin was effective in treating mice experimentally infected with Erysipelothrix rhu8iopathiae. Fifteen mg per kg of body weight per day injected intraperitoneally gave 80 per cent protection against lethal doses of the organism. It is the purpose of this paper to present additional experimental evidence on the effect of aureomycin against E. rhu8iopathiae and to compare its activity with that of penicillin and of streptomycin. Penicillin has been found effective against experimental and naturally occurring turkey erysipelas (Gifford and Jungherr, 1946; Grey, 1947 a,b) and is the treatment now recommended for this disease.