scholarly journals Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics of Nemonoxacin against Streptococcus pneumoniae in anIn VitroInfection Model

2013 ◽  
Vol 57 (7) ◽  
pp. 2942-2947 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wang Liang ◽  
Yuan-cheng Chen ◽  
Yu-ran Cao ◽  
Xiao-fang Liu ◽  
Jun Huang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Streptococcus Pneumoniae ◽  
Drug Efficacy ◽  
Maximum Effect ◽  
Infection Model ◽  
Time Curve ◽  
Effect Analysis ◽  
Unbound Fraction ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Target Values

ABSTRACTThe aim of this paper was to investigate the pharmacokinetics (PK) and pharmacodynamics (PD) of nemonoxacin, a novel nonfluorinated quinolone, againstStreptococcus pneumoniaein vitro. A modified infection model was used to simulate the pharmacokinetics of nemonoxacin following scaling of single oral doses and multiple oral dosing. FourS. pneumoniaestrains with different penicillin sensitivities were selected, and the drug efficacy was quantified by the change in log colony counts within 24 h. A sigmoid maximum-effect (Emax) model was used to analyze the relationship between PK/PD parameters and drug effect. Analysis indicated that the killing pattern of nemonoxacin shows a dualism which is mainly concentration dependent when the MIC is low and that the better PK/PD index should be the area under the concentration-time curve for the free, unbound fraction of the drug divided by the MIC (fAUC0–24/MIC), which means that giving the total daily amount of drug as one dose is appropriate under those conditions. When the MIC is high, the time (T) dependency is important and the valid PK/PD index should be the cumulative percentage of a 24-h period in which the drug concentration exceeds the MIC under steady-state pharmacokinetic conditions (f%T>MIC), which means that to split the maximum daily dose into several separate doses will benefit the eradication of the bacteria. To obtain a 3-log10-unit decrease, the target values offAUC0–24/MIC andf%T>MIC are 47.05 and 53.4%, respectively.

scholarly journals In VivoPharmacodynamic Target Investigation of Two Bacterial Topoisomerase Inhibitors, ACT-387042 and ACT-292706, in the Neutropenic Murine Thigh Model against Streptococcus pneumoniae and Staphylococcus aureus

2016 ◽  
Vol 60 (6) ◽  
pp. 3626-3632 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. J. Lepak ◽  
P. Seiler ◽  
J. P. Surivet ◽  
D. Ritz ◽  
C. Kohl ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Streptococcus Pneumoniae ◽  
Dose Range ◽  
Free Drug ◽  
Infection Model ◽  
Topoisomerase Inhibitors ◽  
Time Curve ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Phenotypic Resistance

ACT-387042 and ACT-292706 are two novel bacterial topoisomerase inhibitors with broad-spectrum activity against Gram-positive and -negative bacteria, including methicillin-resistantStaphylococcus aureusand penicillin- and fluoroquinolone-resistantStreptococcus pneumoniae. We used the neutropenic murine thigh infection model to characterize the pharmacokinetics (PK)/pharmacodynamics (PD) of these investigational compounds against a group of 10S. aureusandS. pneumoniaeisolates with phenotypic resistance to beta-lactams and fluoroquinolones. Thein vitroactivities of the two compounds were very similar (MIC range, 0.03 to 0.125 mg/liter). Plasma pharmacokinetics were determined for each compound by using four escalating doses administered by the subcutaneous route. In treatment studies, mice had 107.4to 108CFU/thigh at the start of therapy with ACT-387042 and 106.7to 108.3CFU/thigh at the start of therapy with ACT-292706. A dose-response relationship was observed with all isolates over the dose range. Maximal kill approached 3 to 4 log10CFU/thigh compared to the burden at the start of therapy for the highest doses examined. There was a strong relationship between the PK/PD index AUC/MIC ratio (area under the concentration-time curve over 24 h in the steady state divided by the MIC) and therapeutic efficacy in the model (R2, 0.63 to 0.82). The 24-h free-drug AUC/MIC ratios associated with net stasis for ACT-387042 againstS. aureusandS. pneumoniaewere 43 and 10, respectively. The 24-h free-drug AUC/MIC ratios associated with net stasis for ACT-292706 againstS. aureusandS. pneumoniaewere 69 and 25, respectively. The stasis PD targets were significantly lower forS. pneumoniae(P< 0.05) for both compounds. The 1-log-kill AUC/MIC ratio targets were ∼2- to 4-fold higher than stasis targets. Methicillin, penicillin, or ciprofloxacin resistance did not alter the magnitude of the AUC/MIC ratio required for efficacy. These results should be helpful in the design of clinical trials for topoisomerase inhibitors.

scholarly journals Efficacy of NZ2114, a Novel Plectasin-Derived Cationic Antimicrobial Peptide Antibiotic, in Experimental Endocarditis Due to Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus

2011 ◽  
Vol 55 (11) ◽  
pp. 5325-5330 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yan Q. Xiong ◽  
Wessam Abdel Hady ◽  
Antoine Deslandes ◽  
Astrid Rey ◽  
Laurent Fraisse ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Maximum Effect ◽  
Peptide Antibiotic ◽  
Time Curve ◽  
Cationic Antimicrobial Peptide ◽  
Unbound Fraction ◽  
Methicillin Resistant ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Conventional Antibiotics

ABSTRACTCationic antimicrobial peptides (CAPs) play important roles in host immune defenses. Plectasin is a defensin-like CAP isolated from the saprophytic fungusPseudoplectania nigrella. NZ2114 is a novel variant of plectasin with potent activity against Gram-positive bacteria. In this study, we investigated (i) thein vivopharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) characteristics of NZ2114 and (ii) thein vivoefficacy of NZ2114 in comparison with those of two conventional antibiotics, vancomycin or daptomycin, in an experimental rabbit infective endocarditis (IE) model due to a methicillin-resistantStaphylococcus aureus(MRSA) strain (ATCC 33591). All NZ2114 regimens (5, 10, and 20 mg/kg of body weight, intravenously [i.v.], twice daily for 3 days) significantly decreased MRSA densities in cardiac vegetations, kidneys, and spleen versus those in untreated controls, except in one scenario (5 mg/kg, splenic MRSA counts). The efficacy of NZ2114 was clearly dose dependent in all target tissues. At 20 mg/kg, NZ2114 showed a significantly greater efficacy than vancomycin (P< 0.001) and an efficacy similar to that of daptomycin. Of importance, only NZ2114 (in 10- and 20-mg/kg regimens) prevented posttherapy relapse in cardiac vegetations, kidneys, and spleen, while bacterial counts in these target tissues continued to increase in vancomycin- and daptomycin-treated animals. Thesein vivoefficacies were equivalent and significantly correlated with three PK indices investigated:fCmax/MIC (the maximum concentration of the free, unbound fraction of a drug in serum divided by the MIC),fAUC/MIC (where AUC is the area under the concentration-time curve), andf%T>MIC(%T>MICis the cumulative percentage of a 24-h period that the drug concentration exceeds the MIC under steady-state pharmacokinetic conditions), as analyzed by a sigmoid maximum-effect (Emax) model (R2> 0.69). The superior efficacy of NZ2114 in this MRSA IE model suggests the potential for further development of this compound for treating serious MRSA infections.

scholarly journals Apotransferrin in Combination with Ciprofloxacin Slows Bacterial Replication, Prevents Resistance Amplification, and Increases Antimicrobial Regimen Effect

2019 ◽  
Vol 63 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul G. Ambrose ◽  
Brian D. VanScoy ◽  
Brian M. Luna ◽  
Jun Yan ◽  
Amber Ulhaq ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Antimicrobial Agents ◽  
Bactericidal Effect ◽  
Bacterial Density ◽  
Infection Model ◽  
Time Curve ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Bacterial Replication ◽  
The Impact

ABSTRACT There has been renewed interest in combining traditional small-molecule antimicrobial agents with nontraditional therapies to potentiate antimicrobial effects. Apotransferrin, which decreases iron availability to microbes, is one such approach. We conducted a 48-h one-compartment in vitro infection model to explore the impact of apotransferrin on the bactericidal activity of ciprofloxacin. The challenge panel included four Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates with ciprofloxacin MIC values ranging from 0.08 to 32 mg/liter. Each challenge isolate was subjected to an ineffective ciprofloxacin monotherapy exposure (free-drug area under the concentration-time curve over 24 h divided by the MIC [AUC/MIC ratio] ranging from 0.19 to 96.6) with and without apotransferrin. As expected, the no-treatment and apotransferrin control arms showed unaltered prototypical logarithmic bacterial growth. We identified relationships between exposure and change in bacterial density for ciprofloxacin alone (R2 = 0.64) and ciprofloxacin in combination with apotransferrin (R2 = 0.84). Addition of apotransferrin to ciprofloxacin enabled a remarkable reduction in bacterial density across a wide range of ciprofloxacin exposures. For instance, at a ciprofloxacin AUC/MIC ratio of 20, ciprofloxacin monotherapy resulted in nearly 2 log10 CFU increase in bacterial density, while the combination of apotransferrin and ciprofloxacin resulted in 2 log10 CFU reduction in bacterial density. Furthermore, addition of apotransferrin significantly reduced the emergence of ciprofloxacin-resistant subpopulations compared to monotherapy. These data demonstrate that decreasing the rate of bacterial replication with apotransferrin in combination with antimicrobial therapy represents an opportunity to increase the magnitude of the bactericidal effect and to suppress the growth rate of drug-resistant subpopulations.

scholarly journals Pharmacodynamics of Isavuconazole in a DynamicIn VitroModel of Invasive Pulmonary Aspergillosis

2015 ◽  
Vol 60 (1) ◽  
pp. 278-287 ◽  
Author(s):  
Helen Box ◽  
Joanne Livermore ◽  
Adam Johnson ◽  
Laura McEntee ◽  
Timothy W. Felton ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Invasive Pulmonary Aspergillosis ◽  
Pathogenic Fungi ◽  
Time Profile ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Time Curve ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Concentration Time ◽  
Target Values ◽  
Maximal Suppression

ABSTRACTIsavuconazonium sulfate is a novel triazole prodrug that has been recently approved for the treatment of invasive aspergillosis by the FDA. The active moiety (isavuconazole) has a broad spectrum of activity against many pathogenic fungi. This study utilized a dynamicin vitromodel of the human alveolus to describe the pharmacodynamics of isavuconazole against two wild-type and two previously defined azole-resistant isolates ofAspergillus fumigatus. A human-like concentration-time profile for isavuconazole was generated. MICs were determined using CLSI and EUCAST methodologies. Galactomannan was used as a measure of fungal burden. Target values for the area under the concentration-time curve (AUC)/MIC were calculated using a population pharmacokinetics-pharmacodynamics (PK-PD) mathematical model. Isolates with higher MICs required higher AUCs in order to achieve maximal suppression of galactomannan. The AUC/MIC targets necessary to achieve 90% probability of galactomannan suppression of <1 were 11.40 and 11.20 for EUCAST and CLSI, respectively.

scholarly journals Comparative Efficacies of Human Simulated Exposures of Telavancin and Vancomycin against Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus with a Range of Vancomycin MICs in a Murine Pneumonia Model

2010 ◽  
Vol 54 (12) ◽  
pp. 5115-5119 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jared L. Crandon ◽  
Joseph L. Kuti ◽  
David P. Nicolau
Keyword(s):  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Bacterial Load ◽  
Infection Model ◽  
Time Curve ◽  
Unbound Fraction ◽  
Methicillin Resistant ◽  
Vancomycin Mics ◽  
Mrsa Strains

ABSTRACT Telavancin displays potent in vitro and in vivo activity against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), including strains with reduced susceptibility to vancomycin. We compared the efficacies of telavancin and vancomycin against MRSA strains with vancomycin MICs of ≥1 μg/ml in a neutropenic murine lung infection model. Thirteen clinical MRSA isolates (7 vancomycin-susceptible, 2 vancomycin-heteroresistant [hVISA], and 4 vancomycin-intermediate [VISA] isolates) were tested after 24 h, and 7 isolates (1 hVISA and 4 VISA isolates) were tested after 48 h of exposure. Mice were administered subcutaneous doses of telavancin at 40 mg/kg of body weight every 12 h (q12h) or of vancomycin at 110 mg/kg q12h; doses were designed to simulate the area under the concentration-time curve for the free, unbound fraction of drug (fAUC) observed for humans given telavancin at 10 mg/kg q24h or vancomycin at 1 g q12h. Efficacy was expressed as the 24- or 48-h change in lung bacterial density from pretreatment counts. At dose initiation, the mean bacterial load was 6.16 ± 0.26 log10 CFU/ml, which increased by averages of 1.26 ± 0.55 and 1.74 ± 0.68 log in untreated mice after 24 and 48 h, respectively. At both time points, similar CFU reductions were noted for telavancin and vancomycin against MRSA, with vancomycin MICs of ≤2 μg/ml. Both drugs were similarly efficacious after 24 and 48 h of treatment against the hVISA strains tested. Against VISA isolates, telavancin reduced bacterial burdens significantly more than vancomycin for 1 of 4 isolates after 24 h and for 3 of 4 isolates after 48 h. These data support the potential utility of telavancin for the treatment of MRSA pneumonia caused by pathogens with reduced susceptibility to vancomycin.

scholarly journals Pharmacodynamics of Imipenem in Combination with β-Lactamase Inhibitor MK7655 in a Murine Thigh Model

2014 ◽  
Vol 59 (2) ◽  
pp. 790-795 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eleftheria Mavridou ◽  
Ria J. B. Melchers ◽  
Anita C. H. A. M. van Mil ◽  
E. Mangin ◽  
Mary R. Motyl ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dose Fractionation ◽  
Maximum Effect ◽  
Significant Activity ◽  
Beta Lactamase ◽  
Time Curve ◽  
Unbound Fraction ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Concentration Time ◽  
Lactamase Inhibitor

ABSTRACTMK7655 is a newly developed beta-lactamase inhibitor of class A and class C carbapenemases. Pharmacokinetics (PK) of imipenem-cilastatin (IMP/C) and MK7655 were determined for intraperitoneal doses of 4 mg/kg to 128 mg/kg of body weight. MIC and pharmacodynamics (PD) studies of MK7655 were performed against several beta-lactamase producingPseudomonas aeruginosaandKlebsiella pneumoniaestrains to determine its effectin vitroandin vivo. Neutropenic mice were infected in each thigh 2 h before treatment with an inoculum of approximately 5 × 106CFU. They were treated with IMP/C alone (every 2 hours [q2h], various doses) or in combination with MK7655 in either a dose fractionation study or q2h for 24 h and sacrificed for CFU determinations. IMP/MK7655 decreased MICs regarding IMP MIC. The PK profiles of IMP/C and MK7655 were linear over the dosing range studied and comparable with volumes of distribution (V) of 0.434 and 0.544 liter/kg and half-lives (t1/2) of 0.24 and 0.25 h, respectively. Protein binding of MK7655 was 20%. A sigmoidal maximum effect (Emax) model was fit to the PK/PD index responses. The effect of the inhibitor was not related to the maximum concentration of drug in serum (Cmax)/MIC, and model fits forT>MICand area under the concentration-time curve (AUC)/MIC were comparable (R2of 0.7 and 0.75), but there appeared to be no significant relationship of effect with dose frequency. Escalating doses of MK7655 and IMP/C showed that the AUC of MK7655 required for a static effect was dependent on the dose of IMP/C and the MIC of the strain, with a mean area under the concentration-time curve for the free, unbound fraction of the drug (fAUC) of 26.0 mg · h/liter. MK7655 shows significant activityin vivoand results in efficacy of IMP/C in otherwise resistant strains. The exposure-response relationships found can serve as a basis for establishing dosing regimens in humans.

scholarly journals Activities of Trovafloxacin, Gatifloxacin, Clinafloxacin, Sparfloxacin, Levofloxacin, and Ciprofloxacin against Penicillin-Resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae in an In Vitro Infection Model

2000 ◽  
Vol 44 (3) ◽  
pp. 598-601 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ellie Hershberger ◽  
Michael J. Rybak
Keyword(s):  
Streptococcus Pneumoniae ◽  
Fibrin Clot ◽  
Infection Model ◽  
Significant Activity ◽  
Time Curve ◽  
Horse Blood ◽  
Bactericidal Activities ◽  
Lysed Horse Blood ◽  
Fibrin Clots

ABSTRACT We adapted an in vitro pharmacodynamic model of infection to incorporate infected fibrin clots. The bactericidal activities of various fluoroquinolones against two strains of penicillin-resistantStreptococcus pneumoniae were studied over a 48-h period. Bacteria were prepared in Muller-Hinton broth by using colonies from a 24-h tryptic soy agar plus 5% sheep blood plate and were added to a mixture of cryoprecipitate (80%) and thrombin (10%) to achieve approximately 106 CFU of organism per fibrin clot. The fibrin clots were suspended into the models and removed, in triplicate, at various time points over 48 h. Control models were also conducted to characterize the growth of S. pneumoniae in the growth medium without antibiotic. Trovafloxacin, gatifloxacin, clinafloxacin, sparfloxacin, levofloxacin, and ciprofloxacin were administered to simulate their pharmacokinetic profiles in humans. Fibrin clot samples were also plated onto antibiotic-containing tryptic soy agar plus 5% lysed horse blood to detect resistance. The newer fluoroquinolones demonstrated better activity than ciprofloxacin against both isolates. In conclusion, the newer quinolones demonstrated significant activity against penicillin-resistant S. pneumoniae, with standard dosing resulting in area under the concentration-time curve/MIC ratios and peak concentration/MIC ratios that resulted in 99.9% killing against these isolates.

scholarly journals Pharmacokinetic-Pharmacodynamic Characterization of Omadacycline against Haemophilus influenzae Using a One-Compartment In Vitro Infection Model

2020 ◽  
Vol 64 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian D. VanScoy ◽  
Elizabeth A. Lakota ◽  
Haley Conde ◽  
Jennifer McCauley ◽  
Lawrence Friedrich ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Haemophilus Influenzae ◽  
Antimicrobial Agents ◽  
Nonlinear Least Squares ◽  
Infection Model ◽  
Least Squares Regression ◽  
Total Drug ◽  
Time Curve ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Concentration Time

ABSTRACT Omadacycline is a novel aminomethylcycline with activity against Gram-positive and -negative organisms, including Haemophilus influenzae, which is one of the leading causes of community-acquired bacterial pneumonia (CABP). The evaluation of antimicrobial agents against H. influenzae using standard murine infection models is challenging due to the low pathogenicity of this species in mice. Therefore, 24-h dose-ranging studies using a one-compartment in vitro infection model were undertaken with the goal of characterizing the magnitude of the ratio of the area under the concentration-time curve (AUC) to the MIC (AUC/MIC ratio) associated with efficacy for a panel of five H. influenzae isolates. These five isolates, for which MIC values were 1 or 2 mg/liter, were exposed to omadacycline total-drug epithelial lining fluid (ELF) concentration-time profiles based on those observed in healthy volunteers following intravenous omadacycline administration. Relationships between change in log10 CFU/ml from baseline at 24 h and the total-drug ELF AUC/MIC ratios for each isolate and for the isolates pooled were evaluated using Hill-type models and nonlinear least-squares regression. As evidenced by the high coefficients of determination (r2) of 0.88 to 0.98, total-drug ELF AUC/MIC ratio described the data well for each isolate and the isolates pooled. The median total-drug ELF AUC/MIC ratios associated with net bacterial stasis and 1- and 2-log10 CFU/ml reductions from baseline at 24 h were 6.91, 8.91, and 11.1, respectively. These data were useful to support the omadacycline dosing regimens selected for the treatment of patients with CABP, as well as susceptibility breakpoints for H. influenzae.

scholarly journals Toward Harmonization of Voriconazole CLSI and EUCAST Breakpoints for Candida albicans Using a Validated In Vitro Pharmacokinetic/Pharmacodynamic Model

2020 ◽  
Vol 64 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria-Ioanna Beredaki ◽  
Panagiota-Christina Georgiou ◽  
Maria Siopi ◽  
Lamprini Kanioura ◽  
David Andes ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Candida Albicans ◽  
Simulation Analysis ◽  
Maximal Activity ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Time Curve ◽  
Unbound Fraction ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Interval Probability

ABSTRACT CLSI and EUCAST susceptibility breakpoints for voriconazole and Candida albicans differ by one dilution (≤0.125 and ≤0.06 mg/liter, respectively) whereas the epidemiological cutoff values for EUCAST (ECOFF) and CLSI (ECV) are the same (0.03 mg/liter). We therefore determined the pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) breakpoints of voriconazole against C. albicans for both methodologies with an in vitro PK/PD model, which was validated using existing animal PK/PD data. Four clinical wild-type and non-wild-type C. albicans isolates (voriconazole MICs, 0.008 to 0.125 mg/liter) were tested in an in vitro PK/PD model. For validation purposes, mouse PK were simulated and in vitro PD were compared with in vivo outcomes. Human PK were simulated, and the exposure-effect relationship area under the concentration-time curve for the free, unbound fraction of a drug from 0 to 24 h (fAUC0–24)/MIC was described for EUCAST and CLSI 24/48-h methods. PK/PD breakpoints were determined using the fAUC0–24/MIC associated with half-maximal activity (EI50) and Monte Carlo simulation analysis. The in vitro 24-h PD EI50 values of voriconazole against C. albicans were 2.5 to 5 (1.5 to 17) fAUC/MIC. However, the 72-h PD were higher at 133 (51 to 347) fAUC/MIC for EUCAST and 94 (35 to 252) fAUC/MIC for CLSI. The mean (95% confidence interval) probability of target attainment (PTA) was 100% (95 to 100%), 97% (72 to 100%), 83% (35 to 99%), and 49% (8 to 91%) for EUCAST and 100% (97 to 100%), 99% (85 to 100%), 91% (52 to 100%), and 68% (17 to 96%) for CLSI for MICs of 0.03, 0.06, 0.125, and 0.25 mg/liter, respectively. Significantly, >95% PTA values were found for EUCAST/CLSI MICs of ≤0.03 mg/liter. For MICs of 0.06 to 0.125 mg/liter, trough levels 1 to 4 mg/liter would be required to attain the PK/PD target. A PK/PD breakpoint of C. albicans voriconazole at the ECOFF/ECV of 0.03 mg/liter was determined for both the EUCAST and CLSI methods, indicating the need for breakpoint harmonization for the reference methodologies.

scholarly journals Zebrafish Embryo Model for Assessment of Drug Efficacy on Mycobacterial Persisters

2020 ◽  
Vol 64 (10) ◽  
Author(s):  
Susanna Commandeur ◽  
Nino Iakobachvili ◽  
Marion Sparrius ◽  
Mariam Mohamed Nur ◽  
Galina V. Mukamolova ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Drug Screening ◽  
Zebrafish Embryo ◽  
Neutral Lipids ◽  
Drug Efficacy ◽  
Infection Model ◽  
Duration Of Treatment ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Set Up

ABSTRACT Tuberculosis continues to kill millions of people each year. The main difficulty in eradication of the disease is the prolonged duration of treatment, which takes at least 6 months. Persister cells have long been associated with failed treatment and disease relapse because of their phenotypical, though transient, tolerance to drugs. By targeting these persisters, the duration of treatment could be shortened, leading to improved tuberculosis treatment and a reduction in transmission. The unique in vivo environment drives the generation of persisters; however, appropriate in vivo mycobacterial persister models enabling optimized drug screening are lacking. To set up a persister infection model that is suitable for this, we infected zebrafish embryos with in vitro-starved Mycobacterium marinum. In vitro starvation resulted in a persister-like phenotype with the accumulation of stored neutral lipids and concomitant increased tolerance to ethambutol. However, these starved wild-type M. marinum organisms rapidly lost their persister phenotype in vivo. To prolong the persister phenotype in vivo, we subsequently generated and analyzed mutants lacking functional resuscitation-promoting factors (Rpfs). Interestingly, the ΔrpfAB mutant, lacking two Rpfs, established an infection in vivo, whereas a nutrient-starved ΔrpfAB mutant did maintain its persister phenotype in vivo. This mutant was, after nutrient starvation, also tolerant to ethambutol treatment in vivo, as would be expected for persisters. We propose that this zebrafish embryo model with ΔrpfAB mutant bacteria is a valuable addition for drug screening purposes and specifically screens to target mycobacterial persisters.

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