In vitro antibacterial activity of spectinomycin.

The in vitro inhibitory and bactericidal activities of spectinomycin hydrochloride were tested against a variety of bacteria. The antibiotic was inhibitory at 31.2 mug/ml to most strains of Escherichia coli, Klebsiella, Enterobacter, and Staphylococcus epidermidis. Concentrations of antibiotic exhibiting bactericidal activity exceeded the inhibitory concentration by at least fourfold. Regression graphs were plotted for results obtained with 30-, 100-, 200-, and 300-mug spectinomycin discs; tentative interpretative standards are proposed.