Open AccessBactericidal and Sterilizing Activities of Several Orally Administered Combined Regimens against Mycobacterium ulcerans in Mice
Author(s) -
Baohong Ji,
Aurélie Chauffour,
Jérôme Robert,
Vincent Jarlier
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
antimicrobial agents and chemotherapy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.07
H-Index - 259
eISSN - 1070-6283
pISSN - 0066-4804
DOI - 10.1128/aac.00193-08
Subject(s) - mycobacterium ulcerans , pharmacology , microbiology and biotechnology , medicine , buruli ulcer , antibacterial agent , antibiotics , biology , disease
Treatment with rifampin-clarithromycin or moxifloxacin-clarithromycin for 8 weeks displayed promising bactericidal activity againstMycobacterium ulcerans in mice; none of the mice treated with rifampin-clarithromycin relapsed, whereas 59% of those treated with moxifloxacin-clarithromycin relapsed after treatment was stopped. The bactericidal and sterilizing activities of the five-times-weekly (5/7) administration of 5 mg of rifapentine/kg of body weight, either alone or in combination, were virtually identical to those of the corresponding regimens with 10 mg of rifampin/kg of body weight; however, because of the long half-life of rifapentine, accumulation of the drug after 5/7 administration is a concern. The bactericidal activity of 20 mg/kg rifapentine in monotherapy or 20 mg/kg rifapentine in combination with 150 mg/kg streptomycin or 200 mg/kg moxifloxacin administered twice weekly was as effective as the corresponding regimens containing 10 mg/kg rifampin administered 5/7, suggesting that Buruli ulcer might be treated with intermittently administered rifapentine-containing combinations.