This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowReprints and Permissions
Right arrow Copyright Information
Right arrow Books from ASM Press
Right arrow MicrobeWorld
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Truccolo, J.
Right arrow Articles by Perolat, P.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Truccolo, J.
Right arrow Articles by Perolat, P.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, March 2002, p. 848-853, Vol. 46, No. 3
0066-4804/02/$04.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/AAC.46.3.848-853.2002
Copyright © 2002, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Quantitative PCR Assay To Evaluate Ampicillin, Ofloxacin, and Doxycycline for Treatment of Experimental Leptospirosis

Johann Truccolo, Françoise Charavay, Fabrice Merien, and Philippe Perolat*

Leptospira Laboratory, Institut Pasteur de Nouvelle-Calédonie, 98845 Nouméa Cedex, New Caledonia

Received 27 June 2001/ Returned for modification 4 September 2001/ Accepted 26 November 2001

The susceptibility of Leptospira interrogans serovar icterohaemorrhagiae strain Verdun to selected antibiotics used in medical practice (ampicillin, doxycycline, and ofloxacin) was evaluated in a Syrian hamster model, to determine the efficacy of these antibiotics during the course of the disease. A quantitative PCR assay was used to monitor the density of leptospires in blood and in target organs (liver, kidney, lung, heart, and spleen). Our results demonstrated the ability of ampicillin at a high dose (100 mg/kg of body weight) to clear leptospires from the host, except from kidneys and heart, where 102 leptospires/g remained at day 6. Ofloxacin (30 mg/kg) was unable to clear bacteria from blood or kidneys. With doxycycline (10 mg/kg), the clearance of leptospires occurred in 2 days in all the target organs studied, with the exception of liver, which required 3 days. Our data demonstrate the value of monitoring the kinetics of experimental leptospiral infection in order to accurately evaluate the efficacy of antibiotics. We have demonstrated the potential value of doxycycline for the treatment of leptospirosis cases, except in circumstances where it is contraindicated. This experimental model could be used to define better therapeutic strategies for human leptospirosis, by testing associations or new formulations of antibiotics.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Institut Pasteur de Nouvelle-Calédonie, BP 61, 98845 Nouméa Cedex, New Caledonia. Phone: 687 27 33 90. Fax: 687 27 33 90. E-mail: perolat.pasteur{at}canl.nc.

Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, March 2002, p. 848-853, Vol. 46, No. 3
0066-4804/02/$04.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/AAC.46.3.848-853.2002
Copyright © 2002, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.



This article has been cited by other articles:

  • Lourdault, K., Aviat, F., Picardeau, M. (2009). Use of quantitative real-time PCR for studying the dissemination of Leptospira interrogans in the guinea pig infection model of leptospirosis. J Med Microbiol 58: 648-655 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Spichler, A., Ko, A. I., Silva, E. F., De Brito, T., Silva, A. M., Athanazio, D., Silva, C., Seguro, A. (2007). Reversal of Renal Tubule Transporter Downregulation during Severe Leptospirosis with Antimicrobial Therapy. Am J Trop Med Hyg 77: 1111-1119 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Griffith, M. E., Moon, J. E., Johnson, E. N., Clark, K. P., Hawley, J. S., Hospenthal, D. R., Murray, C. K. (2007). Efficacy of Fluoroquinolones against Leptospira interrogans in a Hamster Model. Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 51: 2615-2617 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Moon, J. E., Rivard, R. G., Griffith, M. E., Ressner, R. A., McCall, S., Reitstetter, R. E., Hospenthal, D. R., Murray, C. K. (2007). Effect of timing and duration of azithromycin therapy of leptospirosis in a hamster model. J Antimicrob Chemother 59: 148-151 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Vernel-Pauillac, F., Merien, F. (2006). Proinflammatory and Immunomodulatory Cytokine mRNA Time Course Profiles in Hamsters Infected with a Virulent Variant of Leptospira interrogans. Infect. Immun. 74: 4172-4179 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Champion, C. I., Blanco, D. R., Lovett, M. A. (2005). Quantitative Assessment of Protection in Experimental Syphilis. Infect. Immun. 73: 5923-5927 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Bal, A. M (2005). Use of ciprofloxacin for treating leptospirosis - need for clinical trials. J Med Microbiol 54: 907-907 [Full Text]  


Copyright © 2009 by the American Society for Microbiology.   For an alternate route to Journals.ASM.org, visit: http://intl-journals.asm.org | More Info»