Use
Gentamycin Sulphate (Garamycin) was isolated in 1958 and reported in 1963 by Weinstein et al. to belong to the streptomycinoid(aminocyclitol) group of antibiotics. It is obtained commerciallyfrom Micromonospora purpurea. Like the other membersof its group, it has a broad spectrum of activity againstmany common pathogens, both Gram-positive and Gramnegative. Of particular interest is its strong activity against P. aeruginosa and other Gram-negative enteric bacilli.
Gentamycin Sulphate is effective in the treatment of various skin infectionsfor which a topical cream or ointment may be used.Because it offers no real advantage over topical neomycin inthe treatment of all but pseudomonal infections, however, itis recommended that topical gentamicin be reserved for usein such infections and in the treatment of burns complicatedby pseudomonemia. An injectable solution containing 40 mgof gentamicin sulfate per milliliter may be used for serioussystemic and genitourinary tract infections caused by Gramnegativebacteria, particularly Pseudomonas, Enterobacter,and Serratia spp. Because of the development of strains ofthese bacterial species resistant to previously effective broadspectrumantibiotics, gentamicin has been used for the treatmentof hospital-acquired infections caused by such organisms.