bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
In vitro and in vivo antifungal activities of ER-30346, a novel oral triazole with a broad antifungal spectrum
Authors: Hata K , Kimura J , Miki H , Toyosawa T , Nakamura T , Katsu K
Published: October 2018

ER-30346 is a novel oral triazole with a broad spectrum of potent activity against a wide range of fungi. ER-30346, with MICs at which 90% of the strains tested are inhibited (MIC90s) ranging from 0.025 to 0.78 microgram/ml, was 4 to 32 times more active than itraconazole, fluconazole, and amphotericin B against Candida albicans, Candida parapsilosis, and Candida glabrata. Against Candida tropicalis, ER-30346, with an MIC90 of 12.5 micrograms/ml, was 2 to > 8 times more active than itraconazole and fluconazole, but was 16 times less active than amphotericin B. ER-30346 (MIC90, 0.78 microgram/ml) was four to eight times more active than fluconazole and amphotericin B and had activity comparable to that of itraconazole against Trichosporon beigelli. The MIC90s of ER-30346 were 0.10 microgram/ml for Cryptococcus neoformans and 0.39 microgram/ml for Aspergillus fumigatus. ER-30346 was 2 to 8 times more active than itraconazole and amphotericin B and 32 to > 256 times more active than fluconazole. ER-30346 also showed good activity against dermatophytes, with MICs ranging from 0.05 to 0.39 microgram/ml, and its activity was comparable to or 2 to 16 times higher than those of itraconazole and amphotericin B and > 32 times higher than that of fluconazole. In vivo activity was evaluated with systemic infections in mice. Against systemic candidiasis and cryptococcosis, ER-30346 was comparable in efficacy to fluconazole and was more effective than itraconazole. Of the drugs tested, ER-30346 was the most effective drug against systemic aspergillosis. We studied the levels of ER-30346 in mouse plasma. The maximum concentration of drug in plasma and the area under the concentration-time curve for ER-30346 showed good linearity over a range of doses from 2 to 40 mg/kg of body weight.
Presence of vancomycin-resistant enterococci in farm and pet animals
Authors: Devriese L A , Ieven M , Goossens H , Vandamme P , Pot B , Hommez J , Haesebrouck F
Published: October 2018

Enterococcus faecium strains with vanA-mediated glycopeptide resistance were isolated by enrichment culture from the intestines and feces of several animal species, mainly horses and dogs (8% positive), chickens (7% positive), and pigs (6% positive). Other vanA-positive enterococcal strains were identified as E. durans in gallinaceous birds, E. faecalis in a horse, and E. gallinarum in a pheasant. Samples from pigeons, cage birds, and ruminants were negative. It was concluded that vancomycin resistance is widespread among isolates from farm and pet animals.
Bactericidal action of ofloxacin, sulbactam-ampicillin, rifampin, and isoniazid on logarithmic- and stationary-phase cultures of Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Authors: Herbert D , Paramasivan C N , Venkatesan P , Kubendiran G , Prabhakar R , Mitchison D A
Published: October 2018

The bactericidal actions of ofloxacin and sulbactam-ampicillin, alone and in combination with rifampin and isoniazid, on exponential-phase and stationary-phase cultures of a drug-susceptible isolate of Mycobacterium tuberculosis were studied in vitro. In exponential-phase cultures, all drugs were bactericidal, with the higher concentrations of ofloxacin (5 micrograms/ml) and sulbactam-ampicillin (15 micrograms of ampicillin per ml) being as bactericidal as 1 microgram of isoniazid per ml or 1 microgram of rifampin per ml. In two-drug combinations, both drugs increased the levels of activity of isoniazid and rifampin and were almost as bactericidal as isoniazid-rifampin; they also appeared to increase the level of activity of isoniazid-rifampin in three-drug combinations. In contrast, ofloxacin and sulbactam-ampicillin had little bactericidal activity against stationary-phase cultures and were less active than isoniazid or rifampin alone. Furthermore, in two-drug or three-drug combinations, they did not increase the level of activity of isoniazid, rifampin, or isoniazid-rifampin. These findings suggest that ofloxacin and sulbactam-ampicillin are likely to be most useful in the early stages of treatment and in preventing the emergence of resistance to other drugs but are unlikely to be effective as sterilizing drugs helping to kill persisting lesional bacilli.
Continuous infusion of DL-alpha-difluoromethylornithine and improved efficacy against a rat model of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia
Authors: Chin K , Merali S , Sarić M , Clarkson A B
Published: October 2018

The rapid depletion of Pneumocystis carinii polyamines caused by in vitro exposure to DL-alpha-difluoromethylornithine (DFMO; also called eflornithine or Ornidyl) and the rapid repletion following removal of this drug suggested that the in vivo efficacy of DFMO against P. carinii pneumonia (PCP) may be limited by troughs in drug concentration resulting from the schedule of administration. This led to the prediction that, compared with the response to the standard animal protocol of administering DFMO in drinking water, the response of a rat model of PCP to DFMO would be lessened by bolus administration and improved by continuous infusion. These predictions were confirmed. Intraperitoneal bolus administration of up to 3 g of DFMO kg of body weight-1 was completely ineffective, although this dose has been shown to be effective when given in the drinking water. Conversely, continuous infusion improved the response against PCP seven- to ninefold over the response to drinking water administration. These findings suggest that, compared with the standard clinical investigational protocol for treatment of PCP with DFMO given in four divided daily doses, continuous infusion combined with monitoring of drug concentrations in plasma may improve efficacy and/or reduce the already low rate of adverse effects.
Characterization of clinical isolates of beta-lactamase-negative, highly ampicillin-resistant Enterococcus faecalis
Authors: Cercenado E , Vicente M F , Díaz M D , Sánchez-Carrillo C , Sánchez-Rubiales M
Published: October 2018

We analyzed the penicillin-binding protein (PBP) profiles of two clinical isolates of Enterococcus faecalis for which ampicillin MICs were 32 and 64 micrograms/ml. Six PBPs were detected in both isolates, demonstrating an apparently increased amount of PBP 5 and decreased penicillin binding of PBPs 1 and 6. These results suggest that ampicillin resistance in the clinical isolates of E. faecalis described could be associated with alterations in different PBPs.
In vitro activities of five fluoroquinolone compounds against strains of Streptococcus pneumoniae with resistance to other antimicrobial agents
Authors: Barry A L , Fuchs P C , Brown S D
Published: October 2018

Ciprofloxacin, clinafloxacin, PD 131628, sparfloxacin, and trovafloxacin were tested against 236 strains of Streptococcus pneumoniae, most of which were resistant to other agents. Resistance to multiple antibiotics did not affect the organism's susceptibility to the fluoroquinolones. The fluoroquinolones with in vitro antipneumococcal activity might be particularly useful against strains that are resistant to the more traditional therapeutic agents.
In vivo efficacies of levofloxacin and ciprofloxacin in acute murine hematogenous pyelonephritis induced by methicillin-susceptible and-resistant Staphylococcus aureus strains
Authors: Frosco M B , Melton J L , Stewart F P , Kulwich B A , Licata L , Barrett J F
Published: October 2018

Levofloxacin, the active L-isomer of ofloxacin, has demonstrated strong activity against Staphylococcus aureus both in vitro and in vivo. In a murine model of hematogenous pyelonephritis, the in vivo efficacies of levofloxacin and ciprofloxacin were evaluated against two methicillin-susceptible and two methicillin-resistant S. aureus strains. All four isolates had virtually identical susceptibilities to levofloxacin and ciprofloxacin. Pyelonephritis was induced in carrageenan-primed mice by an intravenous injection of 0.5 ml of 10(7) CFU of methicillin-susceptible S. aureus isolates per ml or 10(8) CFU of methicillin-resistant S. aureus isolates per ml. At 1 h postinfection, the mice were treated orally with levofloxacin or ciprofloxacin once a day or twice a day (total daily dose of 20 to 160 mg/kg of body weight) for 4 days. Mice were euthanized 24 h after the final treatment, and the kidneys were excised and weighed. The kidneys were prepared for histological examination or were homogenized to determine the numbers of CFU per gram of tissue quantitatively. The reduction in the mean log10 number of CFU per gram as a function of total daily dose was recorded. A dose-response analysis showed that levofloxacin was superior to ciprofloxacin for all four isolates at any dose or regimen tested, independent of the methicillin susceptibility of the isolates. By using an inverse prediction technique, the equivalent effective doses of levofloxacin (once a day) were less than those of ciprofloxacin (twice a day) by 5.2 and 3.2 times, respectively, for methicillin-susceptible S. aureus 9039 and 3087. For methicillin-resistant S. aureus 667 and 2878, the equivalent effective doses of levofloxacin (once a day) were less than those of ciprofloxacin (twice a day) by 4.1 and 6.4 times, respectively. In a separate study, histological examination of all infected, untreated mice showed moderate to marked hematogenous pyelonephritis. Levofloxacin-treated mice (40 mg/kg once a day) showed no evidence of pyelonephritis in the kidneys, whereas the kidneys of mice treated with the same dose of ciprofloxacin showed only a reduction in the severity of the lesions. Treatment with ciprofloxacin (80 mg/kg twice a day) demonstrated a histology comparable to that of treatment with levofloxacin (40 mg/kg once a day). Levofloxacin (40 mg/kg once a day) reduced the log10 numbers of CFU per gram by 5 log10; however, ciprofloxacin (80 mg/kg twice a day) reduced the numbers of CFU per gram by only 3 log10. In the present murine model of pyelonephritis, levofloxacin was superior to ciprofloxacin in preventing pyelonephritis and eradicating S. aureus.
Enhanced intramacrophage activity of resorcinomycin A against Mycobacterium avium-Mycobacterium intracellulare complex after liposome encapsulation
Authors: Gomez-Flores R , Hsia R , Tamez-Guerra R , Mehta R T
Published: October 2018

The activities of free and liposomal resorcinomycin A against Mycobacterium avium-Mycobacterium intracellulare complex (MAC) grown in broth and in murine peritoneal macrophages were evaluated. Liposomal resorcinomycin A was composed of dimyristoyl phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylinositol at a molar ratio of 9:1. Both free resorcinomycin A and liposomal resorcinomycin A showed no toxicity to macrophages at concentrations up to 50 micrograms/ml, as determined by the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) reduction assay. Minimal inhibitory concentrations of free resorcinomycin A and liposomal resorcinomycin A in broth were 6 and 12 micrograms/ml, respectively, as determined by the MTT colorimetric microassay. In macrophages, liposomal resorcinomycin A caused significantly higher intramacrophage antimycobacterial activity than the free form of the drug. At doses ranging from 6 to 50 micrograms/ml, liposomal resorcinomycin A caused 50 to 93% MAC growth inhibition, respectively (as determined by CFU), while free resorcinomycin A was associated with 33 to 62% MAC growth inhibition, respectively, 3 days after drug treatment. In addition, antimycobacterial activity of liposomal resorcinomycin A in macrophages was maintained 7 days after treatment, whereas the activity of free resorcinomycin A was reduced to negligible 3 days after treatment. In summary, liposome encapsulation of resorcinomycin A resulted in significant enhancement of antibacterial activity against intramacrophagic MAC infection.
Detection of erythromycin-resistant determinants by PCR
Authors: Sutcliffe J , Grebe T , Tait-Kamradt A , Wondrack L
Published: October 2018

Erythromycin resistance determinants include Erm methylases, efflux pumps, and inactivating enzymes. To distinguish the different mechanisms of resistance in clinical isolates, PCR primers were designed so that amplification of the partial gene products could be detected in multiplex PCRs. This methodology enables the direct sequencing of amplified PCR products that can be used to compare resistance determinants in clinical strains. Further, this methodology could be useful in surveillance studies of erythromycin-resistant determinants.
In vitro modulation of hippocampal pyramidal cell response by quinolones: effects of HA 966 and gamma-hydroxybutyric acid
Authors: Dimpfel W , Dalhoff A , von Keutz E
Published: October 2018

The influence of quinolones on electrically evoked pyramidal cell activity in the rat hippocampus in vitro was studied by using the slice technique. We hoped to learn more about the possible mechanisms for the development of side effects of different quinolones and to find a possible treatment. As reported earlier (W. Dimpfel, M. Spüler, A. Dalhoff, W. Hofmann, and G. Schlüter, Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 35:1142-1146, 1991), the amplitude of the population spike increased in the presence of ciprofloxacin, lomefloxacin, or ofloxacin about twofold in comparison with reference values. This increase could be prevented in a concentration-dependent manner by the concomitant presence of 3-amino-1-hydroxy-2-pyrrolidone (HA 966), a compound acting at the so-called glycine site of the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor, but not in the presence of aminophosphonovaleric acid (APV), which acts at a different recognition site of the NMDA receptor. Another tool, 6,7-dinitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione, an antagonist of the so-called AMPA receptor (named after the binding of L-alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid [AMPA] to this site), could not antagonize the effect induced by the quinolones. Activation of the glycine site of the NMDA receptor induced by the presence of D-serine in the superfusion medium also resulted in a concentration-dependent increase in the population spike amplitude. This response remained unchanged in the presence of ciprofloxacin, whereas lomefloxacin and ofloxacin led to further increases in the amplitude, especially in the presence of higher concentrations of D-serine. These results also point to an involvement of the glycine site of the central NMDA receptor in the development of side effects by different quinolones. A complete attenuation of the quinolone-induced effects was obtained in the presence of 2.5 microM gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB), a physiological neuromodulator which is marketed in some countries of Europe as a sedative. It is therefore concluded that the excitatory adverse effects of quinolones might be treated by the administration of GHB.
In vitro activities of azithromycin, clarithromycin, and other antibiotics against Chlamydia pneumoniae
Authors: Kuo C C , Jackson L A , Lee A , Grayston J T
Published: October 2018

The in vitro susceptibilities of Chlamydia pneumoniae isolates to macrolide, tetracycline, and quinolone antibiotics were determined. Tetracycline, clarithromycin, and erythromycin had the lowest MICs in the first cell culture passage. Azithromycin required the lowest concentration for complete inhibition of inclusion formation on the second pass into antibiotic-free medium, likely reflecting its high intracellular concentrations.
Activity of the new fluoroquinolone trovafloxacin (CP-99,219) against DNA gyrase and topoisomerase IV mutants of Streptococcus pneumoniae selected in vitro
Authors: Gootz T D , Zaniewski R , Haskell S , Schmieder B , Tankovic J , Girard D , Courvalin P , Polzer R J
Published: October 2018

The MICs of trovafloxacin, ciprofloxacin, ofloxacin, and sparfloxacin at which 90% of isolates are inhibited for 55 isolates of pneumococci were 0.125, 1, 4, and 0.5 microgram/ml, respectively. Resistant mutants of two susceptible isolates were selected in a stepwise fashion on agar containing ciprofloxacin at 2 to 10 times the MIC. While no mutants were obtained at the highest concentration tested, mutants were obtained at four times the MIC of ciprofloxacin (4 micrograms/ml) at a frequency of 1.0 x 10(-9). Ciprofloxacin MICs for these first-step mutants ranged from 4 to 8 micrograms/ml, whereas trovafloxacin MICs were 0.25 to 0.5 microgram/ml. Amplification of the quinolone resistance-determining region of the grlA (parC; topoisomerase IV) and gyrA (DNA gyrase) genes of the parents and mutants revealed that changes of the serine at position 80 (Ser80) to Phe or Tyr (Staphylococcus aureus coordinates) in GrlA were associated with resistance to ciprofloxacin. Second-step mutants of these isolates were selected by plating the isolates on medium containing ciprofloxacin at 32 micrograms/ml. Mutants for which ciprofloxacin MICs were 32 to 256 micrograms/ml and trovafloxacin MICs were 4 to 16 micrograms/ml were obtained at a frequency of 1.0 x 10(-9). Second-step mutants also had a change in GyrA corresponding to a substitution in Ser84 to Tyr or Phe or in Glu88 to Lys. Trovafloxacin protected from infection mice whose lungs were inoculated with lethal doses of either the parent strain or the first-step mutant. These results indicate that resistance to fluoroquinolones in S. pneumoniae occurs in vitro at a low frequency, involving sequential mutations in topoisomerase IV and DNA gyrase. Trovafloxacin MICs for wild-type and first-step mutants are within clinically achievable levels in the blood and lungs of humans.
Prospective open randomized study comparing efficacies and safeties of a 3-day course of azithromycin and a 10-day course of erythromycin in children with community-acquired acute lower respiratory tract infections
Authors: Roord J J , Wolf B H , Gossens M M , Kimpen J L
Published: October 2018

The efficacies and safeties of a 3-day, 3-dose course of azithromycin (10 mg/kg of body weight per day) and a 10-day, 30-dose course of erythromycin (40 mg/kg/day) for the treatment of acute lower respiratory tract infections in children were compared in an open randomized multicenter study. Sixty-eight of 85 evaluable patients (80%) had radiologically proven pneumonia, and 20% had bronchitis. Treatment success defined as cure or major improvement was achieved in 42 of 45 (93%) azithromycin recipients versus 36 of 40 (90%) erythromycin recipients. Adverse events were reported in 12 of 45 and 6 of 40 of the patients treated with azithromycin and erythromycin, respectively, a difference which was not statistically significant. In conclusion, a 3-day course of azithromycin is as effective as a 10-day course of erythromycin in the treatment of community-acquired lower respiratory tract infections in children, with comparable safety and acceptability profiles. This shorter treatment course might have a beneficial effect on compliance, especially in the pediatric age group.
Low-dose aerosol infection model for testing drugs for efficacy against Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Authors: Kelly B P , Furney S K , Jessen M T , Orme I M
Published: October 2018

As a paradigm for chronic infectious diseases, tuberculosis exhibits a variety of clinical presentations, ranging from primary pulmonary tuberculosis to reactivation tuberculosis and cavitary disease. To date, the animal models used in evaluating chemotherapy of tuberculosis have been high-dose intravenous models that mimic the disseminated forms of the disease. In the present study, we have used a low-dose aerosol exposure model which we feel better reflects newly diagnosed tuberculosis in patients converting to tuberculin positivity. As appropriate examples of chemotherapy, four rifamycins (rifampin, rifabutin, rifapentine, and KRM-1648) were tested, first in an in vitro murine macrophage model and then in the low-dose aerosol infection model, for their activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis. In both models, KRM-1648 had the highest level of activity of the four compounds. In the infected-lung model, rifabutin, rifapentine, and KRM-1648 all had sterilizing activity when given orally at 5 mg/kg of body weight per day. When given at 2.5 mg/kg/day, KRM-1648 had the highest level of activity of the four drugs, reducing the bacterial load by 2.7 logs over 35 days of therapy.
Antimycobacterial action of thiolactomycin: an inhibitor of fatty acid and mycolic acid synthesis
Authors: Slayden R A , Lee R E , Armour J W , Cooper A M , Orme I M , Brennan P J , Besra G S
Published: October 2018

Thiolactomycin (TLM) possesses in vivo antimycobacterial activity against the saprophytic strain Mycobacterium smegmatis mc2155 and the virulent strain M. tuberculosis Erdman, resulting in complete inhibition of growth on solid media at 75 and 25 micrograms/ml, respectively. Use of an in vitro murine macrophage model also demonstrated the killing of viable intracellular M. tuberculosis in a dose-dependent manner. Through the use of in vivo [1,2-14C]acetate labeling of M. smegmatis, TLM was shown to inhibit the synthesis of both fatty acids and mycolic acids. However, synthesis of the shorter-chain alpha'-mycolates of M. smegmatis was not inhibited by TLM, whereas synthesis of the characteristic longer-chain alpha-mycolates and epoxymycolates was almost completely inhibited at 75 micrograms/ml. The use of M. smegmatis cell extracts demonstrated that TLM specifically inhibited the mycobacterial acyl carrier protein-dependent type II fatty acid synthase (FAS-II) but not the multifunctional type I fatty acid synthase (FAS-I). In addition, selective inhibition of long-chain mycolate synthesis by TLM was demonstrated in a dose-response manner in purified, cell wall-containing extracts of M. smegmatis cells. The in vivo and in vitro data and knowledge of the mechanism of TLM resistance in Escherichia coli suggest that two distinct TLM targets exist in mycobacteria, the beta-ketoacyl-acyl carrier protein synthases involved in FAS-II and the elongation steps leading to the synthesis of the alpha-mycolates and oxygenated mycolates. The efficacy of TLM against M. smegmatis and M. tuberculosis provides the prospects of identifying fatty acid and mycolic acid biosynthetic genes and revealing a novel range of chemotherapeutic agents directed against M. tuberculosis.
Multiple efflux mechanisms are involved in Candida albicans fluconazole resistance
Authors: Albertson G D , Niimi M , Cannon R D , Jenkinson H F
Published: October 2018

Fluconazole-susceptible Candida albicans strains accumulated [3H]fluconazole at a rate of approximately 2 pmol/min per 10(9) cells. Fluconazole accumulation was not affected by the pretreatment of cells with sodium azide or with 2-deoxyglucose. The rate of fluconazole accumulation became saturated at high fluconazole concentrations and was not affected by the addition of ketoconazole, and there was no fluconazole accumulation in cells incubated at 4 degrees C. A fluconazole-resistant mutant of C. albicans SGY-243 was isolated following growth enrichment in fluconazole-containing medium. Cells of the mutant strain, designated FR2, showed a reduced rate of fluconazole accumulation compared with SGY-243 and were not resistant to other azole antifungal agents. The rates of fluconazole accumulation by C. albicans FR2 and the other azole-resistant strains, B59630, AD, and KB, were increased in the presence of sodium azide, suggesting that fluconazole resistance in these strains may be associated with an energy-dependent drug efflux. Fluconazole-resistant C. albicans strains all contained elevated amounts (2- to 17-fold) of mRNA encoding Cdr1, and an ATP-binding cassette-type transporter. In addition, C. albicans FR2 also contained increased amounts of mRNA encoding Benr, a major facilitator superfamily transporter. These results suggest that fluconazole enters C. albicans cells by facilitated diffusion and that fluconazole resistance may involve energy-dependent drug efflux associated with increased expression of Benr and/or Cdr1.
Activities against Streptococcus pneumoniae of amoxicillin and cefotaxime at physiological concentrations: in vitro pharmacodynamic simulation
Authors: Balcabao I P , Aguilar L , Martín M , García Y , Dal-Ré R , Prieto J
Published: October 2018

An in vitro model simulating amoxicillin and cefotaxime concentrations in human serum (after standard doses) was used to explore the activities of these drugs over time against penicillin-susceptible and penicillin-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae strains. An initial inoculum reduction percentage of > or = 90% was obtained with amoxicillin and maintained for 2 to 8 h, regardless of the strain tested. In contrast, experiments showed that cefotaxime had significantly (P < 0.001) less capability to reduce initial inocula of the penicillin-resistant pneumococci from 0.5 h on than amoxicillin, despite the same in vitro susceptibility to amoxicillin and cefotaxime in both strains.
Detection of mutations in parC in quinolone-resistant clinical isolates of Escherichia coli
Authors: Vila J , Ruiz J , Goñi P , De Anta M T
Published: October 2018

The gene parC encodes the A subunit of topoisomerase IV of Escherichia coli. Mutations in the parC region analogous to those in the quinolone resistance-determining region of gyrA were investigated in 27 clinical isolates of E. coli for which ciprofloxacin MICs were 0.0007 to 128 micrograms/ml. Of 15 isolates for which ciprofloxacin MICs were > or = 1 microgram/ml, 8 showed a change in the serine residue at position 80 (Ser-80), 4 showed a change in Glu-84, and 3 showed changes in both amino acids. No mutations were detected in 12 clinical isolates for which ciprofloxacin MICs were < or = 0.25 micrograms/ml. These findings suggest that ParC from E. coli may be another target for quinolones and that mutations at residues Ser-80 and Glu-84 may contribute to decreased fluoroquinolone susceptibility.
Influence of external factors in resistance of Corynebacterium urealyticum to antimicrobial agents
Authors: Garcia-Bravo M , Aguado J M , Morales J M , Noriega A R
Published: October 2018

Corynebacterium urealyticum is usually resistant to multiple antibiotics. We analyzed whether previous hospitalization and/or the use of antibiotics was a factor associated with the appearance of resistance to different antibiotics in C. urealyticum. Our findings suggest that resistant strains of C. urealyticum are likely to be acquired directly from the hospital environment and that the use of antibiotics in the hospital setting could favor the appearance of multiresistant strains.
Activities of bay Y 3118, levofloxacin, and ofloxacin alone or in combination with ethambutol against Mycobacterium avium complex in vitro, in human macrophages, and in beige mice
Authors: Bermudez L E , Inderlied C B , Kolonoski P , Wu M , Barbara-Burnham L , Young L S
Published: October 2018

Levofloxacin, ofloxacin, and Bay Y 3118 are new fluoroquinolones with variable in vitro bacteriostatic and bactericidal activities against the Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC). The potential therapeutic activities of these agents both alone and combined with ethambutol were evaluated in a human macrophage test system and in the beige mouse animal test system with MAC strain 101. Bay Y 3118 at a human-equivalent dose of 30 mg/kg/day for 4 weeks caused a significant reduction in mortality compared with that in untreated controls (P = 0.02). Bay Y 3118 also caused significant reductions in the number of MAC organisms in the blood, liver tissue, and spleen tissue compared with those in untreated controls. Levofloxacin at a human-equivalent dose of 200 mg/kg/day was associated with a significant reduction in mortality (10 versus 39%); however, treatment with either levofloxacin or ofloxacin (200 mg/kg/day) did not result in significant reductions in the numbers of MAC organisms in blood, liver, and spleen compared with those in untreated controls. When Bay Y 3118 was combined with ethambutol, there was no enhancement in therapeutic activity except in the spleen in terms of CFU per gram (reductions of 89% compared with the untreated control, 63% compared with Bay Y 3118 alone, and 72.5% compared with ethambutol alone). Levofloxacin in combination with ethambutol was more active than either drug alone in the reduction of organisms in blood, liver, and spleen. Bay Y 3118 was the most active fluoroquinolone for monotherapy of MAC infection in beige mice, and the combination of ethambutol plus either levofloxacin or ofloxacin was at least additive. In summary, this study demonstrates that quinolones, although active, are inhibitory against MAC in vivo and that there is little correlation between the activity of quinolones in vitro and the activity in mice.
Factors influencing elimination and distribution of fleroxacin: metaanalysis of individual data from 10 pharmacokinetic studies
Authors: Reigner B G , Welker H A
Published: October 2018

A metaanalysis was conducted on data from 172 subjects (healthy volunteers and uninfected patients) included in 10 pharmacokinetic studies of fleroxacin after oral administration. The objectives of this analysis were (i) to estimate the typical values of two key pharmacokinetic parameters, clearance over systemic availability (CL/F) and volume of distribution over systemic availability (V/F), after the administration of therapeutic doses and (ii) to study qualitatively and quantitatively the factors which influence the elimination and distribution of fleroxacin. The main pharmacokinetic parameters, CL/F and V/F, were analyzed separately by a standard two-stage approach. The covariates investigated were predicted creatinine clearance (CLCR), age, gender, body surface area, body weight, and lean body weight (LBW). The predicted CL/F and V/F were 83.5 ml/min and 101 liters, respectively, for a typical male subject (CLCR, 70 ml/min; LBW, 54 kg; age, 54 years). Modeling of CL/F indicated that this parameter increases linearly with CLCR, decreases linearly with age, and is 10.8 ml/min lower in females than in males. The best model for V/F showed a linear increase with LBW and a linear decrease with age. V/F was found to be 20.4 liters greater in males than in females. In conclusion, this metaanalysis has shown that CLCR, age, and gender influence the elimination of fleroxacin from the body, whereas V/F is influenced by LBW, age, and gender.
Transport of the antibacterial agent oxazolidin-2-one and derivatives across intestinal (Caco-2) and renal (MDCK) epithelial cell lines
Authors: Ranaldi G , Seneci P , Guba W , Islam K , Sambuy Y
Published: October 2018

The transepithelial passage of the orally bioavailable antibacterial agent oxazolidin-2-one (OXa) and 10 derivatives has been studied with human intestinal (Caco-2) and canine renal (MDCK) cell lines grown on polycarbonate filters. The transepithelial passage was assayed in the apical-to-basolateral (AP-to-BL) direction and in the opposite direction (BL to AP) in both cell lines. The observed passage rates of OXa were similar in both directions in the two cell lines, suggesting passive diffusion. This was further confirmed by the fact that transport kinetics were linear as a function of initial concentration. The rates of AP-to-BL passage of OXa and seven of the derivatives in both cell lines were linearly related to lipophilicity, whether expressed as high-passage liquid chromatography retention time or as the logarithm of the n-octanol-water partition coefficient (log P). These data suggest that the lipophilicity of OXa is important for its observed bioavailability after oral administration. Interestingly, three of the derivatives exhibited a higher passage rate than predicted by lipophilicity. Further studies indicated that this transport was saturable, similar in the two directions, and not affected by energy depletion, suggesting the presence of an additional carrier-mediated facilitated-transport mechanism.
Eradication of mucoid Pseudomonas aeruginosa with fluid liposome-encapsulated tobramycin in an animal model of chronic pulmonary infection
Authors: Beaulac C , Clément-Major S , Hawari J , Lagacé J
Published: October 2018

Despite controversies associated with forms and value of antibiotic therapy for cystic fibrosis patients, antibiotherapy remains a cornerstone in the management of those patients. Locally administered liposome-encapsulated antibiotics may offer advantages over free antibiotics, including sustained concentration of the antibiotic, minimal systemic absorption, reduced toxicity, and increased efficacy. We evaluated the efficacy of free and encapsulated tobramycin in fluid and rigid liposomal formulations administered to rats chronically infected with Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Chronic infection in lungs was established by intratracheal administration of 10(5) CFU of a mucoid variant of P. aeruginosa PA 508 prepared in agar beads. Antibiotic treatments were given intratracheally at time intervals of 16 h. After the last treatment, lung bacterial counts were determined and tobramycin levels in the lungs and kidneys were evaluated by high-performance liquid chromatographic analysis and microbiological assay. Two independent experiments showed that animals treated with encapsulated tobramycin in fluid liposomes had a number of CFU less than the minimal CFU number required to be statistically acceptable compared with > or = 10(6) CFU per pair of lungs for animals treated with encapsulated tobramycin in rigid liposomes, free antibiotic, or liposomes without tobramycin. Tobramycin measured in the lungs at 16 h after the last treatment following the administration of encapsulated antibiotic was still active, and its concentration was > or = 27 micrograms/mg of tissue. Low levels of tobramycin were detected in the kidneys (0.59 to 0.87 micrograms/mg of tissue) after the administration of encapsulated antibiotic, while 5.31 micrograms/mg of tissue was detected in the kidneys following the administration of free antibiotic. These results suggest that the local administration of fluid liposomes with encapsulated tobramycin could greatly improve the management of chronic pulmonary infection in cystic fibrosis patients.
Pharmacodynamics of once- or twice-daily levofloxacin versus vancomycin, with or without rifampin, against Staphylococcus aureus in an in vitro model with infected platelet-fibrin clots
Authors: Palmer S M , Rybak M J
Published: October 2018

We compared the pharmacodynamic activities of levofloxacin versus vancomycin, with or without rifampin, in an in vitro model with infected platelet-fibrin clots simulating vegetations. Infected platelet-fibrin clots were prepared with human cryoprecipitate, human platelets, calcium, thrombin, and approximately 10(9) CFU of organisms (MSSA 1199 and MRSA 494) per g and then were suspended via monofilament line into the in vitro model containing Mueller-Hinton growth medium. Antibiotics were administered by bolus injection into the model to simulate human pharmacokinetics; the regimens simulated included levofloxacin at dosages of 800 mg every 24 h (q24h) and 400 mg q12h, vancomycin at 1 g q12h, and rifampin at 600 mg q24h. Each model was run in duplicate over a 72-h period. Infected platelet-fibrin clots were removed in duplicate from each model, weighed, homogenized, serially diluted with sterile 0.9% saline, and plated on tryptic soy agar plates and plates containing antibiotics at 3, 6, and 12 times the MIC to evaluate the emergence of resistance. Time-kill curves were constructed by plotting the inoculum size versus time. Residual inoculum at 72 h was used to compare regimens. All levofloxacin regimens were significantly better than vancomycin monotherapy against both isolates (P < 0.002). Against MSSA 1199, levofloxacin q24h was significantly better than all other regimens, including levofloxacin q12h (P < 0.002); however, no difference between the levofloxacin monotherapy and combination therapy (with rifampin) regimens against MRSA 494 was seen. Killing activity for levofloxacin appeared to correlate better with the peak/MIC ratio than with the area under the curve/MIC ratio. The addition of rifampin significantly enhanced the activity of vancomycin but had little effect upon the activity of levofloxacin. For MRSA 494, vancomycin plus rifampin resulted in the greatest killing (P < 0.05). Development of resistance was not detected with any regimen. Levofloxacin may be a useful therapeutic alternative in the treatment of staphylococcal endocarditis, and further study with animal models of endocarditis or clinical trials are warranted.
Quinolone-resistant mutants of escherichia coli DNA topoisomerase IV parC gene
Authors: Kumagai Y , Kato J I , Hoshino K , Akasaka T , Sato K , Ikeda H
Published: October 2018

Escherichia coli quinolone-resistant strains with mutations of the parC gene, which codes for a subunit of topoisomerase IV, were isolated from a quinolone-resistant gyrA mutant of DNA gyrase. Quinolone-resistant parC mutants were also identified among the quinolone-resistant clinical strains. The parC mutants became susceptible to quinolones by introduction of a parC+ plasmid. Introduction of the multicopy plasmids carrying the quinolone-resistant parC mutant gene resulted in an increase in MICs of quinolones for the parC+ and quinolone-resistant gyrA strain. Nucleotide sequences of the quinolone-resistant parC mutant genes were determined, and missense mutations at position Gly-78, Ser-80, or Glu-84, corresponding to those in the quinolone-resistance-determining region of DNA gyrase, were identified. These results indicate that topoisomerase IV is a target of quinolones in E. coli and suggest that the susceptibility of E. coli cells to quinolones is determined by sensitivity of the targets, DNA gyrase and topoisomerase IV.
In vitro antimicrobial activities and spectra of U-100592 and U-100766, two novel fluorinated oxazolidinones
Authors: Jones R N , Johnson D M , Erwin M E
Published: October 2018

Two new fluorinated oxazolidinones, U-100592 and U-100766, were evaluated against more than 659 gram-positive and -negative organisms and compared with glycopeptides, erythromycin, clindamycin, clinafloxacin, and chloramphenicol. U-100592 and U-100766 were usually equally potent, but the MICs at which 90% of the isolates are inhibited (MIC90s) of U-100592 for some staphylococci and enterococci were slightly lower than those of U-100766 (1 versus 2 micrograms/ml). The MIC90 of U-100592 and U-100766 for oxacillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus was 2 micrograms/ml, the same as observed for oxacillin-susceptible strains. The oxazolidinone MICs for other Staphylococcus spp. were < or = 2 micrograms/ml (MIC50, 0.5 to 1 microgram/ml). All enterococci were inhibited by < or = 4 and < or = 2 micrograms of U-100592 and U-100766 per ml, respectively. Against 152 vancomycin-resistant enterococci (five species), both compounds had a narrow range of MICs (0.25 to 2 micrograms/ml) and a MIC90 of 1 microgram/ml. Corynebacterium jeikeium, Bacillus spp., and all tested streptococci were inhibited (< or = 4 micrograms/ml). Members of the family Enterobacteriaceae and other gram-negative bacilli were not susceptible (MIC50, > 64 micrograms/ml) to either oxazolidinone. Three potencies of U-100592 and U-100766 disks were tested (5, 15, and 30 micrograms), and acceptable correlations (r = 0.81 to 0.90) with the measured MICs were observed. Best discrimination of the tentatively susceptible organisms (MICs, < or = 4 micrograms/ml) was demonstrated with the 30-micrograms disk concentration. The oxazolidinones demonstrated a dominant bacteristatic action. These oxazolidinones (U-100592 and U-100766) appear promising for treatment of gram-positive organisms that demonstrate resistance to contemporary therapeutic agents.
Use of standardized SCID-hu Thy/Liv mouse model for preclinical efficacy testing of anti-human immunodeficiency virus type 1 compounds
Authors: Rabin L , Hincenbergs M , Moreno M B , Warren S , Linquist V , Datema R , Charpiot B , Seifert J , Kaneshima H , McCune J M
Published: October 2018

We have developed standardized procedures and practices for infection of SCID-hu Thy/Liv mice with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 for the prophylactic administration of antiviral compounds and for evaluation of the antiviral effect in vivo. Endpoint analyses included quantitation of viral load by intracellular p24 enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, DNA PCR for the presence of proviral genomes, flow cytometry to measure the representation of CD4+ and CD8+ cells, and cocultivation for the isolation of virus. Efficacy tests in this model are demonstrated with the nucleoside analogs zidovudine and dideoxyinosine and with the nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor nevirapine. This small-animal model should be particularly useful in the preclinical prioritization of lead compounds within a common chemical class, in the evaluation of alternative in vivo dosing regimens, and in the determination of appropriate combination therapy in vivo.
Quinolone-resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae: correlation of alterations in the GyrA subunit of DNA gyrase and the ParC subunit of topoisomerase IV with antimicrobial susceptibility profiles
Authors: Deguchi T , Yasuda M , Nakano M , Ozeki S , Ezaki T , Saito I , Kawada Y
Published: October 2018

Fifty-five clinical strains of Neisseria gonorrhoeae were examined for mutations in the gyrA and parC genes and for antimicrobial susceptibility profiles. The MICs of quinolones for 31 strains with alterations in GyrA were significantly higher than the MICs for 24 strains without such alterations. Eleven strains with alterations in both GyrA and ParC were significantly more resistant to fluoroquinolones than those with alterations in GyrA alone. The MICs of cephalosporins for these strains were also significantly higher than those for other strains.
Characterization of rpsL and rrs mutations in streptomycin-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates from diverse geographic localities
Authors: Sreevatsan S , Pan X , Stockbauer K E , Williams D L , Kreiswirth B N , Musser J M
Published: October 2018

Two genes (rpsL and rrs) with mutations associated with streptomycin resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis were characterized in 78 streptomycin-resistant and 61 streptomycin-susceptible isolates recovered from patients living in the United States, South America, Europe, Africa, and Asia. Fifty-four percent of the 78 resistant organisms had missense mutations in codon 43 of rpsL resulting in a K-43-->R substitution. Mutations in codon 88 of rpsL were also identified in four Asian isolates.
Simple, fast, and accurate fluorometric method to determine drug susceptibility of Plasmodium falciparum in 24-well suspension cultures
Authors: Smeijsters L J , Zijlstra N M , Franssen F F , Overdulve J P
Published: October 2018

An in vitro test which quantifies drug inhibition of Plasmodium falciparum replication by measuring the fluorescence intensity of Hoechst 33258 dye bound to DNA is described. The procedure does not require expensive reagents or equipment and can be completed in less than 10 min. The assay was highly accurate and sensitive: cultures with as few as 0.4% schizont-infected erythrocytes could reliably be analyzed. The method was not biased by the actual parasite stage used; i.e., the amount of fluorescence detected in a sample of a culture of mature schizonts equaled the amount detected with the ring form culture derived from these schizonts. Even the presence of large proportions of free merozoites, which are easily neglected in microscopic estimates, did not bias the results. Furthermore, measurement of the chloroquine susceptibility of the multidrug-resistant K1 strain and the chloroquine-susceptible NF54 strain showed that the method is most suitable for quantifying the drug resistance of P. falciparum.
Effects of inhibitors of protein synthesis on lysis of Escherichia coli induced by beta-lactam antibiotics
Authors: Rodionov D G , Ishiguro E E
Published: October 2018

The role of protein synthesis in ampicillin-induced lysis of Escherichia coli was investigated. The inhibition of protein synthesis through amino acid deprivation resulted in the rapid development of ampicillin tolerance as a consequence of the stringent response, as previously reported. In contrast, inhibition of protein synthesis by use of ribosome inhibitors such as chloramphenicol did not readily confer ampicillin tolerance and, in fact, promoted the development of both stages of the ampicillin-induced lysis process, i.e., (i) an ampicillin-dependent stage which apparently involves the interaction of penicillin-binding proteins with ampicillin and (ii) an ampicillin-independent stage which may represent the events leading to the deregulation of peptidoglycan hydrolase activity. We propose that lysis was facilitated when protein synthesis was inhibited because the production of new penicillin-binding proteins to replace those which were ampicillin inhibited was prevented under these conditions.
Comparison of antimicrobial susceptibilities of Corynebacterium species by broth microdilution and disk diffusion methods
Authors: Weiss K , Laverdière M , Rivest R
Published: October 2018

Corynebacterium species are increasingly being implicated in foreign-body infections and in immunocompromised-host infections. However, there are no specific recommendations on the method or the criteria to use in order to determine the in vitro activities of the antibiotics commonly used to treat Corynebacterium infections. The first aim of our study was to compare the susceptibilities of various species of Corynebacterium to vancomycin, erythromycin, and penicillin by using a broth microdilution method and a disk diffusion method. Second, the activity of penicillin against our isolates was assessed by using the interpretative criteria recommended by the National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards for the determination of the susceptibility of streptococci and Listeria monocytogenes to penicillin. Overall, 100% of the isolates were susceptible to vancomycin, while considerable variations in the activities of erythromycin and penicillin were noted for the different species tested, including the non-Corynebacterium jeikeium species. A good correlation in the susceptibilities of vancomycin and erythromycin between the disk diffusion and the microdilution methods was observed. However, a 5% rate of major or very major errors was detected with the Listeria criteria, while a high rate of minor errors (18%) was noted when the streptococcus criteria were used. Our findings indicate considerable variations in the activities of erythromycin and penicillin against the various species of Corynebacterium. Because of the absence of definite recommendations, important discrepancies were observed between the methods and the interpretations of the penicillin activity.