scholarly journals Evaluation of the Efficacy of Doxycycline, Ciprofloxacin, Levofloxacin and Co-trimoxazole using in vitro and in vivo models of Q fever.

Author(s):  
K.A. Clay ◽  
M.G. Hartley ◽  
S. Armstrong ◽  
K.R. Bewley ◽  
K Godwin ◽  
...  

Q fever, caused by the intracellular pathogen Coxiella burnetii , is traditionally treated using tetracycline antibiotics, such as doxycycline. Doxycycline is often poorly tolerated and antibiotic resistant strains have been isolated. In this study, we have evaluated a panel of antibiotics (doxycycline, ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, and, co-trimoxazole) against C. burnetii using in vitro methods (determination of MIC using liquid and solid media; efficacy assessment in a THP cell infection model) and in vivo methods (wax moth larvae and mouse models of infection). In addition, the schedule for antibiotic treatment has been evaluated, with therapy initiated at 24 h pre or post challenge. Both doxycycline and levofloxacin limited overt clinical signs during treatment in the AJ mouse model of aerosol infection, but further studies are required to investigate the possibility of disease relapse or incomplete bacterial clearance after the antibiotics are stopped. Levofloxacin was well tolerated and therefore warrants further investigation as an alternative to the current recommended treatment with doxycycline.

Cells ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 169 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cristina Elena Staicu ◽  
Dragoș-Valentin Predescu ◽  
Călin Mircea Rusu ◽  
Beatrice Mihaela Radu ◽  
Dragos Cretoiu ◽  
...  

Ovarian cancer has the highest mortality rate among gynecological cancers. Early clinical signs are missing and there is an urgent need to establish early diagnosis biomarkers. MicroRNAs are promising biomarkers in this respect. In this paper, we review the most recent advances regarding the alterations of microRNAs in ovarian cancer. We have briefly described the contribution of miRNAs in the mechanisms of ovarian cancer invasion, metastasis, and chemotherapy sensitivity. We have also summarized the alterations underwent by microRNAs in solid ovarian tumors, in animal models for ovarian cancer, and in various ovarian cancer cell lines as compared to previous reviews that were only focused the circulating microRNAs as biomarkers. In this context, we consider that the biomarker screening should not be limited to circulating microRNAs per se, but rather to the simultaneous detection of the same microRNA alteration in solid tumors, in order to understand the differences between the detection of nucleic acids in early vs. late stages of cancer. Moreover, in vitro and in vivo models should also validate these microRNAs, which could be very helpful as preclinical testing platforms for pharmacological and/or molecular genetic approaches targeting microRNAs. The enormous quantity of data produced by preclinical and clinical studies regarding the role of microRNAs that act synergistically in tumorigenesis mechanisms that are associated with ovarian cancer subtypes, should be gathered, integrated, and compared by adequate methods, including molecular clustering. In this respect, molecular clustering analysis should contribute to the discovery of best biomarkers-based microRNAs assays that will enable rapid, efficient, and cost-effective detection of ovarian cancer in early stages. In conclusion, identifying the appropriate microRNAs as clinical biomarkers in ovarian cancer might improve the life quality of patients.


2013 ◽  
Vol 81 (12) ◽  
pp. 4604-4614 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandra Elliott ◽  
Ying Peng ◽  
Guoquan Zhang

ABSTRACTCoxiella burnetiiis an obligate intracellular bacterium that causes acute and chronic Q fever in humans. Human Q fever is mainly transmitted by aerosol infection. However, there is a fundamental gap in the knowledge regarding the mechanisms of pulmonary immunity againstC. burnetiiinfection. This study focused on understanding the interaction betweenC. burnetiiand innate immune cellsin vitroandin vivo. Both virulentC. burnetiiNine Mile phase I (NMI) and avirulent Nine Mile phase II (NMII) were able to infect neutrophils, while the infection rates were lower than 29%, suggesting thatC. burnetiican infect neutrophils, but infection is limited. Interestingly,C. burnetiiinside neutrophils can infect and replicate within macrophages, suggesting that neutrophils cannot killC. burnetiiandC. burnetiimay be using infection of neutrophils as an evasive strategy to infect macrophages. To elucidate the mechanisms of the innate immune response toC. burnetiinatural infection, SCID mice were exposed to aerosolizedC. burnetii. Surprisingly, neutrophil influx into the lungs was delayed until day 7 postinfection in both NMI- and NMII-infected mice. This result suggests that neutrophils may play a unique role in the early immune response against aerosolizedC. burnetii. Studying the interaction betweenC. burnetiiand the innate immune system can provide a model system for understanding how the bacteria evade early immune responses to cause infection.


2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (13) ◽  
pp. 1301-1312 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandeep K. Shukla ◽  
Ajay K. Sharma ◽  
Vanya Gupta ◽  
Aman Kalonia ◽  
Priyanka Shaw

: Wound research is an evolving science trying to unfold the complex untold mechanisms behind the wound healing cascade. In particular, interest is growing regarding the role of microorganisms in both acute and chronic wound healing. Microbial burden plays an important role in the persistence of chronic wounds, ultimately resulting in delayed wound healing. It is therefore important for clinicians to understand the evolution of infection science and its various etiologies. Therefore, to understand the role of bacterial biofilm in chronic wound pathogenesis, various in vitro and in vivo models are required to investigate biofilms in wound-like settings. Infection models should be refined comprising an important signet of biofilms. These models are eminent for translational research to obtain data for designing an improved wound care formulation. However, all the existing models possess limitations and do not fit properly in the model frame for developing wound care agents. Among various impediments, one of the major drawbacks of such models is that the wound they possess does not mimic the wound a human develops. Therefore, a novel wound infection model is required which can imitate the human wounds. : This review article mainly discusses various in vitro and in vivo models showing microbial colonization, their advantages and challenges. Apart from these models, there are also present ex vivo wound infection models, but this review mainly focused on various in vitro and in vivo models available for studying wound infection in controlled conditions. This information might be useful in designing an ideal wound infection model for developing an effective wound healing formulation.


2008 ◽  
Vol 52 (6) ◽  
pp. 2156-2162 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kerry L. LaPlante ◽  
Steven N. Leonard ◽  
David R. Andes ◽  
William A. Craig ◽  
Michael J. Rybak

ABSTRACT Controversy exists about the most effective treatment options for community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) and about the ability of these strains to develop inducible resistance to clindamycin during therapy. Using both in vitro pharmacodynamic and murine thigh infection models, we evaluated and compared several antimicrobial compounds against CA-MRSA. Strains with inducible macrolide lincosamide-streptogramin type B (iMLSB) resistance and strains in which resistance was noninducible were evaluated. Two levels of inocula (105 and 107) were evaluated for clindamycin activity in the in vivo model. In both models, the antimicrobial evaluation was performed in triplicate, and bacterial quantification occurred over 72 h, with drug doses that were designed to simulate the free drug area-under-the-concentration-time curve values (fAUCs) obtained from human samples. When the activity of clindamycin against the iMLSB strains was evaluated, constitutive resistance was noted at 24 h (MIC of >256), and failure was noted at an inoculum of ≥106 in the in vivo models. However, at a low inoculum (105) in the murine thigh-infection model, clindamycin demonstrated modest activity, reducing the CFU/thigh count for clindamycin resistance-inducible strains at 72 h (0.45 to 1.3 logs). Overall, administration of daptomycin followed by vancomycin demonstrated the most significant kill against all strains in both models. Against the clindamycin noninducible strain, clindamycin and doxycycline demonstrated significant kill. Doxycycline, linezolid, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazide (not run in the murine model) demonstrated bacteriostatic activity against clindamycin resistance-inducible isolates. This study demonstrates that clindamycin's activity against the iMLSB strains tested is partially impacted by inoculum size. At present, there are several alternatives that appear promising for treating clindamycin resistance-inducible strains of CA-MRSA.


2005 ◽  
Vol 49 (6) ◽  
pp. 2294-2301 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne J. Lenaerts ◽  
Veronica Gruppo ◽  
Karen S. Marietta ◽  
Christine M. Johnson ◽  
Diane K. Driscoll ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT This study extends earlier reports regarding the in vitro and in vivo efficacies of the nitroimidazopyran PA-824 against Mycobacterium tuberculosis. PA-824 was tested in vitro against a broad panel of multidrug-resistant clinical isolates and was found to be highly active against all isolates (MIC < 1 μg/ml). The activity of PA-824 against M. tuberculosis was also assessed grown under conditions of oxygen depletion. PA-824 showed significant activity at 2, 10, and 50 μg/ml, similar to that of metronidazole, in a dose-dependent manner. In a short-course mouse infection model, the efficacy of PA-824 at 50, 100, and 300 mg/kg of body weight formulated in methylcellulose or cyclodextrin/lecithin after nine oral treatments was compared with those of isoniazid, rifampin, and moxifloxacin. PA-824 at 100 mg/kg in cyclodextrin/lecithin was as active as moxifloxacin at 100 mg/kg and isoniazid at 25 mg/kg and was slightly more active than rifampin at 20 mg/kg. Long-term treatment with PA-824 at 100 mg/kg in cyclodextrin/lecithin reduced the bacterial load below 500 CFU in the lungs and spleen. No significant differences in activity between PA-824 and the other single drug treatments tested (isoniazid at 25 mg/kg, rifampin at 10 mg/kg, gatifloxacin at 100 mg/kg, and moxifloxacin at 100 mg/kg) could be observed. In summary, its good activity in in vivo models, as well as its activity against multidrug-resistant M. tuberculosis and against M. tuberculosis isolates in a potentially latent state, makes PA-824 an attractive drug candidate for the therapy of tuberculosis. These data indicate that there is significant potential for effective oral delivery of PA-824 for the treatment of tuberculosis.


2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Igori Balta ◽  
Lavinia Stef ◽  
Ioan Pet ◽  
Patrick Ward ◽  
Todd Callaway ◽  
...  

Abstract The aim of this study was to test in vitro the ability of a mixture of citrus extract, maltodextrin, sodium chloride, lactic acid and citric acid (AuraShield L) to inhibit the virulence of infectious bronchitis, Newcastle disease, avian influenza, porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) and bovine coronavirus viruses. Secondly, in vivo, we have investigated its efficacy against infectious bronchitis using a broiler infection model. In vitro, these antimicrobials had expressed antiviral activity against all five viruses through all phases of the infection process of the host cells. In vivo, the antimicrobial mixture reduced the virus load in the tracheal and lung tissue and significantly reduced the clinical signs of infection and the mortality rate in the experimental group E2 receiving AuraShield L. All these effects were accompanied by a significant reduction in the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and an increase in IgA levels and short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in both trachea and lungs. Our study demonstrated that mixtures of natural antimicrobials, such AuraShield L, can prevent in vitro viral infection of cell cultures. Secondly, in vivo, the efficiency of vaccination was improved by preventing secondary viral infections through a mechanism involving significant increases in SCFA production and increased IgA levels. As a consequence the clinical signs of secondary infections were significantly reduced resulting in recovered production performance and lower mortality rates in the experimental group E2.


2012 ◽  
Vol 56 (7) ◽  
pp. 3690-3699 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaohua Zhu ◽  
Qiang Liu ◽  
Sihyung Yang ◽  
Toufan Parman ◽  
Carol E. Green ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTArylimidamides (AIAs) have shown outstandingin vitropotency against intracellular kinetoplastid parasites, and the AIA 2,5-bis[2-(2-propoxy)-4-(2-pyridylimino)aminophenyl]furan dihydrochloride (DB766) displayed goodin vivoefficacy in rodent models of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) and Chagas' disease. In an attempt to further increase the solubility andin vivoantikinetoplastid potential of DB766, the mesylate salt of this compound and that of the closely related AIA 2,5-bis[2-(2-cyclopentyloxy)-4-(2-pyridylimino)aminophenyl]furan hydrochloride (DB1852) were prepared. These two mesylate salts, designated DB1960 and DB1955, respectively, exhibited dose-dependent activity in the murine model of VL, with DB1960 inhibiting liver parasitemia by 51% at an oral dose of 100 mg/kg/day × 5 and DB1955 reducing liver parasitemia by 57% when given by the same dosing regimen. In a murineTrypanosoma cruziinfection model, DB1960 decreased the peak parasitemia levels that occurred at 8 days postinfection by 46% when given orally at 100 mg/kg/day × 5, while DB1955 had no effect on peak parasitemia levels when administered by the same dosing regimen. Distribution studies revealed that these compounds accumulated to micromolar levels in the liver, spleen, and kidneys but to a lesser extent in the heart, brain, and plasma. A 5-day repeat-dose toxicology study with DB1960 and DB1955 was also conducted with female BALB/c mice, with the compounds administered orally at 100, 200, and 500 mg/kg/day. In the high-dose groups, DB1960 caused changes in serum chemistry, with statistically significant increases in serum blood urea nitrogen, lactate dehydrogenase, aspartate aminotransferase, and alanine aminotransferase levels, and a 21% decrease in body weight was observed in this group. These changes were consistent with microscopic findings in the livers and kidneys of the treated animals. The incidences of observed clinical signs (hunched posture, tachypnea, tremors, and ruffled fur) were more frequent in DB1960-treated groups than in those treated with DB1955. However, histopathological examination of tissue samples indicated that both compounds had adverse effects at all dose levels.


2019 ◽  
Vol 87 (10) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer M. Willingham-Lane ◽  
Londa J. Berghaus ◽  
Roy D. Berghaus ◽  
Kelsey A. Hart ◽  
Steeve Giguère

ABSTRACT The soil-dwelling, saprophytic actinomycete Rhodococcus equi is a facultative intracellular pathogen of macrophages and causes severe bronchopneumonia when inhaled by susceptible foals. Standard treatment for R. equi disease is dual-antimicrobial therapy with a macrolide and rifampin. Thoracic ultrasonography and early treatment with antimicrobials prior to the development of clinical signs are used as means of controlling endemic R. equi infection on many farms. Concurrently with the increased use of macrolides and rifampin for chemoprophylaxis and the treatment of subclinically affected foals, a significant increase in the incidence of macrolide- and rifampin-resistant R. equi isolates has been documented. Previously, our laboratory demonstrated decreased fitness of R. equi strains that were resistant to macrolides, rifampin, or both, resulting in impaired in vitro growth in iron-restricted media and in soil. The objective of this study was to examine the effect of macrolide and/or rifampin resistance on intracellular replication of R. equi in equine pulmonary macrophages and in an in vivo mouse infection model in the presence and absence of antibiotics. In equine macrophages, the macrolide-resistant strain did not increase in bacterial numbers over time and the dual macrolide- and rifampin-resistant strain exhibited decreased proliferation compared to the susceptible isolate. In the mouse model, in the absence of antibiotics, the susceptible R. equi isolate outcompeted the macrolide- or rifampin-resistant strains.


2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S215-S216
Author(s):  
Lisa N Akhtar ◽  
Sue Choi ◽  
Cooper Hayes ◽  
Sita Awasthi ◽  
Orkide Koyuncu ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection of the neonatal brain causes severe meningoencephalitis and permanent neurologic deficits. However, infants infected with HSV at the time of birth follow different clinical courses. Some infants develop only external infection of the skin, eyes, or mouth (SEM disease), while others develop invasive infection of the central nervous system resulting in encephalitis (CNS disease). The factors that explain this clinical divergence are not well understood. While adults can be predisposed to HSV CNS infection by an innate immune defect, no such host susceptibility has been identified in neonates. Therefore, we have taken a novel approach to determine whether variations in the HSV genome contribute to infection of the neonatal brain. We recently defined the viral genetic diversity among HSV-2 isolates cultured from neonates with a range of clinical presentations. Isolates collected from neonates with CNS disease contained several unique amino acid variations in HSV proteins known to contribute to cell-to-cell spread and neurovirulence in mouse models. Methods To understand the relevance of these findings to neonatal CNS disease, we evaluated CNS disease- and SEM disease-associated neonatal HSV-2 isolates in neurologically-relevant in vitro and in vivo models. Results We found that HSV-2 isolates from neonates with CNS disease, as compared to those collected from neonates with SEM disease, displayed enhanced spread in human neuronally-differentiated SH-SY5Y or LUHMES cells and enhanced retrograde transport in rat neurons cultured in modified Campenot chambers. CNS disease-associated isolates also resulted in increased hind limb paralysis and zosteriform disease in a mouse flank scratch infection model, and increased death in a mouse direct intracerebral injection model of encephalitis. Notably, CNS disease and SEM disease-associated isolates resulted in equivalent outcomes following mouse intraperitoneal injection, suggesting similar systemic virulence. Conclusion These data suggest that virus-mediated differences in neuronal spread and transport may contribute to neurovirulence in neonatal HSV disease. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures


2005 ◽  
Vol 49 (4) ◽  
pp. 1447-1454 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kanakeshwari Falzari ◽  
Zhaohai Zhu ◽  
Dahua Pan ◽  
Huiwen Liu ◽  
Poonpilas Hongmanee ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTExisting macrolides have never shown definitive clinical efficacy in tuberculosis. Recent reports suggest that ribosome methylation is involved in macrolide resistance inMycobacterium tuberculosis, a mechanism that newer macrolides have been designed to overcome in gram-positive bacteria. Therefore, selected macrolides and ketolides (descladinose) with substitutions at positions 9, 11,12, and 6 were assessed for activity againstM. tuberculosis, and those with MICs of ≤4 μM were evaluated for cytotoxicity to Vero cells and J774A.1 macrophages. Several compounds with 9-oxime substitutions or aryl substitutions at position 6 or on 11,12 carbamates or carbazates demonstrated submicromolar MICs. For the three macrolide-ketolide pairs, macrolides demonstrated superior activity. Four compounds with low MICs and low cytotoxicity also effected significant reductions in CFU in infected macrophages. Active compounds were assessed for tolerance and the ability to reduce CFU in the lungs of BALB/c mice in an aerosol infection model. A substituted 11,12 carbazate macrolide demonstrated significant dose-dependent inhibition ofM. tuberculosisgrowth in mice, with a 10- to 20-fold reduction of CFU in lung tissue. Structure-activity relationships, some of which are unique toM. tuberculosis, suggest several synthetic directions for further improvement of antituberculosis activity. This class appears promising for yielding a clinically useful agent for tuberculosis.


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