Plague Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Plague, including details on bubonic plague, yersinia pestis, infection, types, treatment. | ||||||||
|
Comparison of 2 antibiotics that inhibit protein synthesis for the treatment of infection with Yersinia pestis delivered by aerosol in a mouse model of pneumonic plague.Heine HS, Louie A, Sorgel F, Bassett J, Miller L, Sullivan LJ, Kinzig-Schippers M, Drusano GL US Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, MD, 21702, USA. henry.heine@amedd.army.mil INTRODUCTION: Intentional release of Yersinia pestis will likely be propagated by aerosol exposure. We explored the effects of neutropenia on the outcome of doxycycline and gentamicin therapy. METHODS: Female BALB/c mice were exposed to 20 LD(50) of Y. pestis CO92 by aerosol. Treatments were saline (negative control), levofloxacin at 15 mg/kg every 12 h (positive control), doxycycline at 40 mg/kg every 6 h, and gentamicin at 12 mg/kg every 6 h, 24 mg/kg every 12 h, and 48 mg/kg every 24 h in cohorts of normal and neutropenic mice for 5 days. RESULTS: Control mice died. Positive control mice (levofloxacin) had 100% survivorship in both neutropenic and nonneutropenic groups. Doxycycline treatment in the presence of granulocytes yielded 90% survivorship; all neutropenic mice died after the termination of treatment (P<<.001). For gentamicin, survivorship of mice receiving drug every 24, 12, and 6 h was, respectively, 80%, 80%, and 90% for normal mice and 80%, 100%, and 70% for neutropenic mice. No significant differences were seen in the neutropenia versus normal mouse comparison or by schedule. CONCLUSIONS: Doxycycline behaves in vivo as a bacteriostatic drug, requiring an intact immune system for clearance of the infection after aerosol challenge with Y. pestis. Gentamicin is bactericidal, even when given on a daily schedule. Neutropenia did not significantly affect survivorship. Published 3 August 2007 in J Infect Dis, 196(5): 782-7.
© 2005-2008 Plague Research Today. All Rights Reserved. |
| ||||||
