title: Doxycycline or ciprofloxacin prophylaxis and therapy against experimental Yersinia pestis infection in mice.
abstract: The efficacy of doxycycline and ciprofloxacin against an experimental plague infection was assessed by comparing the median lethal dose (MLD) of Yersinia pestis in antibiotic-treated and untreated mice. The MLD of Y. pestis GB strain in untreated mice by the intra-peritoneal route was 23 cfu. If ciprofloxacin dosage (20 or 40 mg/kg twice daily) was initiated 48 h before infection, it afforded complete protection against an intra-peritoneal challenge of 5.24 x 10(7) cfu. Ciprofloxacin therapy initiated 24 h post-challenge was less protective, the MLD was raised to 2.0 x 10(5) and 2.2 x 10(5) cfu for 40 and 20 mg/kg respectively. Doxycycline dosage (40 mg/kg twice daily) initiated 48 h prior to infection raised the MLD to 1.6 x 10(4) cfu, but other prophylactic and therapeutic regimes were ineffective against challenges greater than 6.76 x 10(2) cfu. Ciprofloxacin may therefore be a useful antibiotic to consider for the treatment of plague.
authors.affiliation: CBDE Porton Down, Salisbury, Wiltshire, UK
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Russell
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Eley
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Bell
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Manchee
authors.forename: R W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Titball
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002939:Ciprofloxacin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004318:Doxycycline / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051379:Mice; D010930:Plague / Q000188:drug therapy*; D015010:Yersinia pestis / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D002939:Ciprofloxacin; D004318:Doxycycline