Antibiotics silver nitrate

Some products are precipitated from the fermentation broth. The insoluble calcium salts of some organic acids precipitate and are col-lec ted, and adding sulfuric acid regenerates the acid while forming gypsum (calcium sulfate) that constitutes a disposal problem. An early process for recovering the antibiotic cycloserine added silver nitrate to the fermentation broth to precipitate an insoluble silver salt. This process was soon obsolete because of poor economics and because the silver salt, when diy, exploded easily. 

For prophylaxis of ophthalmia neonatorum, various groups have proposed the use of erythromycin (0.5%) or tetracycline (1%) ophthalmic ointment in lieu of silver nitrate. Although silver nitrate and antibiotic ointments are effective against gonococcal ophthalmia neonatorum, silver nitrate is not effective for chlamydial disease and may cause a chemical conjunctivitis. 

Inorganic silver salts are strongly bactericidal. Silver nitrate, 1 1000, has been most commonly used, particularly as a preventive for gonococcal ophthalmitis in newborns. Antibiotic ointments have replaced silver nitrate for this indication. Silver sulfadiazine slowly releases silver and is used to suppress bacterial growth in burn wounds (see Chapter 46 Sulfonamides, Trimethoprim, Quinolones). 

A fixed-combination ointment containing oxytetracy-cline and polymyxin B is available for topical ocular use (see Table 11-6). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends ophthalmic ointments containing a tetracycline or erythromycin as an effective alternative to silver nitrate for prophylaxis of gonococcal ophthalmia neonatorum. A major advantage of using an antibiotic ointment such as oxytetracycline-polymyxin B is that it does not canse the chemical conjunctivitis typically produced by silver nitrate. 

Ophthalmic use of silver nitrate solution for prophylaxis of ophthalmia neonatorum due to gonorrhea should be considered as obsolete silver nitrate is highly irritant and antibiotics provide better alternatives. 

For special separations, an impregnation of the layer is often necessary, e.g. of unsaturated fatty acids with silver nitrate or of antibiotics of the tetracycline type with EDTA. Whereas the user must perform these impregnations himself, a caffeine-impregnated HPTLC precoated layer is available for the determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. 

D. Heavy Metals Mercury and silver precipitate proteins and inactivate sulfhydryl groups of enzymes but are used rarely because of toxicity. Organic mercurials such as nitromersol and thimerosal frequently cause hypersensitivity reactions but continue to be used as preservatives for vaccines, antitoxins, and immune sera. Merbromin is a weak antiseptic and stains tissues a bright red color. In the past silver nitrate was commonly used for prevention of neonatal gonococcal ophthalmia, but it has been largely replaced by topical antibiotics. Silver sulfadiazine (a sulfonamide) is used to decrease bacterial colonization in bums. 

The nurse is administering silver nitrate 1% (Dey-Drop), an antibiotic, to a 1-hour-old infant. Which statement is the scientific rationale for administering this medication ... 

For dermatitis, a topical steroid preparation (eg, triamcinolone acetonide, fluocinolone acetonide, flurandrenolone, or betamethasone-17-valerate) is the principal therapeutic agent. Oozing lesions should be treated with wet dressings (moistened with fluids such as 1 40 Burow s solution). Appropriate antibiotics should be given for secondary infection, and oral antihistamines for itching.13 Vesicating lesions have been successfully treated with compresses of a cold silver nitrate solution (1 1,000)... 

The antibiotics were visualized as dark brown spots after spraying with a silver nitrate soln. followed by 5% sodium hydroxide soln. 

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