title: The effects of rifampicin and fluoroquinolones on tubercle bacilli within human macrophages.
abstract: The objective of this study was to determine the activities of rifampicin, ciprofloxacin and sparfloxacin against M. tuberculosis H37Rv in human macrophages. The minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) were determined by agar macrodilution and broth microdilution methods and were 0.5, 1 and 0.125 mg/l, respectively. Concentrations of rifampicin at 0.5 and 2.5 microg (P<0.001), ciprofloxacin at 4 and 8 microg (P<0.001) and sparfloxacin at 0.125 microg (P<0.05), 0.625 microg (P<0.001) and 1.25 microg (P<0.001) were found to be effective against intracellular bacteria. Ciprofloxacin and especially sparfloxacin were effective in macrophages and may be useful in the treatment of tuberculosis particularly infections caused by multiply drug resistant strains.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Clinical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine University of Marmara, Haydarpaşa, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Necdet
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Duman
authors.forename: Adile
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cevikbaş
authors.forename: Candan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Johansson
mesh_terms: D000995:Antitubercular Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D024841:Fluoroquinolones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D008264:Macrophages / Q000382:microbiology*; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D012293:Rifampin / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000995:Antitubercular Agents; D024841:Fluoroquinolones; D012293:Rifampin