title: Efficacy of doxycycline and ciprofloxacin against experimental Yersinia pestis infection.
abstract: The efficacies of ciprofloxacin and doxycycline prophylaxis and therapy were assessed against experimental pneumonic plague infections induced by two strains of Yersinia pestis in a mouse model. When exposed to an aerosol of Y. pestis strain GB, containing 8.39 x 10(5) +/- 4.17 x 10(4) cfu, the retained dose was 7.3 x 10(3) +/- 2.3 x 10(3) cfu. When exposed to an aerosol of Y. pestis strain CO-92, containing 1.86 x 10(5) +/- 7.4 x 10(3) cfu, the retained dose was 3.4 x 10(4) +/- 2.6 x 10(3) cfu. Both strains resulted in a respiratory and systemic infection closely resembling human pneumonic plague. Ciprofloxacin prophylaxis and therapy was successful against both strains for up to 24 h after challenge, but not after 48 h. Both doxycycline prophylaxis and therapy regimens were ineffective against both strains, although strain CO-92 was more susceptible in vitro to doxycycline than strain GB and supra-MIC levels were achieved in the serum and lungs of the animal.
authors.affiliation: CBD 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: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Green
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Stagg
authors.forename: R R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nelson
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Beedham
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Bell
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rogers
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Whittington
authors.forename: R W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Titball
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019072:Antibiotic Prophylaxis; D002939:Ciprofloxacin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004318:Doxycycline / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008168:Lung / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D010930:Plague / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D015010:Yersinia pestis / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D002939:Ciprofloxacin; D004318:Doxycycline