title: In vivo and in vitro activity of roxithromycin against Toxoplasma gondii in mice.
abstract: Roxithromycin protected mice against a lethal infection with the extremely virulent RH strain and the C56 strain of Toxoplasma gondii. Therapy initiated 2 h after infection with 2 X 10(3) or 2 X 10(4) RH or C56 tachyzoites protected more than 80% of the mice, compared with 0% of untreated controls (p less than 0.001). Paradoxically, Toxoplasma gondii was isolated more frequently (greater than 80%) in treated mice surviving infection with the less virulent strain (C56) than those surviving infection with the more virulent RH strain (less than 25%). Furthermore, in vitro studies revealed that roxithromycin at dosages up to 250 micrograms/ml had no effect on the proliferation of Toxoplasma gondii in murine peritoneal macrophage cultures.
authors: Division of Infectious Diseases, State University of New York at Stony Brook 11794-8153.
authors: B J
authors: BJ
authors: Luft
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D007933:Leucomycins / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008099:Liver / Q000469:parasitology; D008264:Macrophages / Q000469:parasitology; D051379:Mice; D013154:Spleen / Q000469:parasitology; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D014124:Toxoplasmosis, Animal / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000517:prevention & control; D014774:Virulence
chemical_list: D007933:Leucomycins