title: Intrabacterial sodium-to-potassium ratios and ATP contents of Mycobacterium leprae from ofloxacin-treated patients.
abstract: In a clinical trial including 17 multibacillary leprosy patients the in vivo effectiveness of ofloxacin on Mycobacterium leprae was tested via mass spectrometric determination of intrabacterial ratios of the concentrations of the sodium and potassium ions of individual organisms and of the ATP content per 10(6) bacteria isolated from skin biopsies. After 3 months of treatment, the in vivo drug effect could be determined with at least one of the two methods in 14 cases. Both methods revealed that in two cases the bacteria definitely did not respond to a 3-month ofloxacin monotherapy (200 mg twice daily). In three further cases a nonresponse of the M. leprae organisms was suspected from the mass spectrometric measurements. In the responder cases, the M. leprae were severely impaired. From the intrabacterial cation ratios the percentage of viable organisms averaged over all untreated biopsies was determined to be 58% and the percentage-killing during the first 3 months of treatment was 72%.
authors.affiliation: All-Africa Leprosy & Rehabilitation Training Center (ALERT), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dietz
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Haas
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lindner
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Dhople
authors.forename: Y B
authors.initials: YB
authors.lastname: Tebebe
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Seydel
mesh_terms: D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000032:analysis*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001706:Biopsy; D004573:Electrolytes / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007918:Leprosy / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D008297:Male; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D008875:Middle Aged; D009166:Mycobacterium leprae / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D015242:Ofloxacin / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011188:Potassium / Q000032:analysis; D012867:Skin / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D012964:Sodium / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D004573:Electrolytes; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate; D012964:Sodium; D015242:Ofloxacin; D011188:Potassium