Ranitidine bismuth citrate and clarithromycin, alone or in combination, for eradication of Helicobacter mustelae infection in ferrets.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether ranitidine bismuth citrate, clarithromycin, or a combination of ranitidine bismuth citrate and clarithromycin would be efficacious in eradication of Helicobacter mustelae infection in ferrets.


METHODS
60 seven-month-old ferrets.


METHODS
To determine dosages of clarithromycin and ranitidine bismuth citrate that would suppress growth of, but not eradicate infection with, H mustelae, ferrets (n = 6/group) were treated p.o. with clarithromycin or ranitidine bismuth citrate at various dosages. Efficacy of treatment was then determined by treating ferrets with clarithromycin alone, ranitidine bismuth citrate alone, or clarithromycin and ranitidine bismuth citrate. Gastric biopsy specimens were obtained before, during, and at various times after treatment and submitted for quantitative bacterial culture and histologic evaluation. Minimum concentrations of clarithromycin that inhibited 90% of the growth of isolates obtained before and after treatment were determined.


RESULTS
Dosages of clarithromycin and ranitidine bismuth citrate that suppressed growth of H mustelae were 12.5 and 24 mg/kg of body weight, p.o., every 8 hours, respectively. Infection was not eradicated in ferrets treated with ranitidine bismuth citrate alone but was eradicated in all 6 ferrets treated with clarithromycin and ranitidine bismuth citrate and in 4 of 6 treated with clarithromycin alone. A decrease in susceptibility to clarithromycin was detected for H mustelae isolates obtained after treatment. Mild or moderate antral gastritis was observed even in ferrets from which infection was eradicated.


CONCLUSIONS
A combination of ranitidine bismuth citrate and clarithromycin was efficacious in eradicating H mustelae infection from ferrets.
Marini
R P
RP
Division of Comparative Medicine, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge 02139, USA.
Fox
J G
JG
Taylor
N S
NS
Yan
L
L
McColm
A A
AA
Williamson
R
R
D000818:Animals; D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001729:Bismuth / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017291:Clarithromycin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005289:Ferrets; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000187:drug effects / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D016998:Helicobacter / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary*; D010052:Ovariectomy; D011899:Ranitidine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013997:Time Factors
D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents; C073340:ranitidine bismuth citrate; D011899:Ranitidine; D017291:Clarithromycin; D001729:Bismuth