title: Effect of gemifloxacin on viability of Chlamydia pneumoniae (Chlamydophila pneumoniae) in an in vitro continuous infection model.
abstract: Persistent infection with Chlamydia pneumoniae (Chlamydophila pneumoniae) has been implicated in the development of atherosclerosis, asthma and other chronic diseases. However, data on treatment of C. pneumoniae infections are limited. Microbiological failure of antimicrobial therapy has been described, even after prolonged courses of treatment with azithromycin, doxycycline and erythromycin. Gemifloxacin is an enhanced-affinity fluoroquinolone with excellent activity against most common respiratory pathogens, including C. pneumoniae. The effect of prolonged treatment with gemifloxacin, compared with azithromycin, on viability of C. pneumoniae was investigated in a continuous infection model. Gemifloxacin at final con-centrations of 0.25 and 2.5 mg/L reduced the viability of C. pneumoniae by 5 log(10), which was similar to the effect of azithromycin. However, both antimicrobials failed to completely eliminate C. pneumoniae from continuously infected cells, even after 30 days of treatment. Both antibiotics decreased levels of interleukin-6 and interleukin-8 in this model, but this effect appeared to be secondary to the antichlamydial activity, as the cytokine levels correlated with the concentrations of microorganisms.
authors: Department of Pediatrics, State University of New York Downstate Medical Center, 450 Clarkson Avenue, Box 49, Brooklyn, NY 11203-2098, USA.
authors: Andrei
authors: A
authors: Kutlin
authors: Patricia M
authors: PM
authors: Roblin
authors: Margaret R
authors: MR
authors: Hammerschlag
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017963:Azithromycin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D016993:Chlamydophila pneumoniae / Q000187:drug effects*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis; D024841:Fluoroquinolones; D000077735:Gemifloxacin; D006801:Humans; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D009287:Naphthyridines / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D016207:Cytokines; D024841:Fluoroquinolones; D015850:Interleukin-6; D016209:Interleukin-8; D009287:Naphthyridines; D018664:Interleukin-12; D017963:Azithromycin; D000077735:Gemifloxacin