Intravitreal taurolidine against experimental Staphylococcus epidermidis endophthalmitis in rabbits.
OBJECTIVE
Taurolidine is a broad spectrum, non-antibiotic antimicrobial agent, not previously tested against infectious endophthalmitis. The efficacy of intravitreal taurolidine in the treatment of experimental Staphylococcus epidermidis endophthalmitis was evaluated and compared with vancomycin in a rabbit model.


METHODS
The right eyes of 34 albino rabbits were infected with an intravitreal inoculum of S. epidermidis (10(5) colony-forming units/0.1 ml). The right eyes of four rabbits (group 7) were not infected and served as uninfected controls. 24 hours after inoculation of bacteria the animals were divided into the following treatment groups: group 1 (7 rabbits) received intravitreal taurolidine at 24 hours and group 2 (7 rabbits) received at 48 hours. Group 3 (7 rabbits) received vancomycin at 24 hours and group 4 (7 rabbits) at 48 hours. Group 5 (3 rabbits) received polyvinylpyrrolidone at 24 hours and group 6 (3 rabbits) at 48 hours. Clinical scoring was performed at 24, 48 and 72 hours. At 72 hours post inoculation, vitreous samples were collected for quantitative microbiological studies and then, the eyes were enucleated for histopathological scorings.


RESULTS
The clinical and histopathological examinations revealed significant amelioration of inflammation in eyes treated with taurolidine and vancomycin when compared with polyvinylpyrrolidone. The eyes treated with taurolidine also had significantly lower colony forming units than the eyes treated with polyvinylpyrrolidone and taurolidine rendered many eyes sterile.


CONCLUSIONS
Taurolidine is expected to be a potential agent for treatment of S. epidermidis endophthalmitis.
Oguz
Halit
H
Department of Ophthalmology, Harran University School of Medicine, Sanliurfa, Turkey. halitoguz@hotmail.com
Zeyrek
Fadile Yildiz
FY
Ozardali
Ilyas
I
Oguz
Elif
E
Gurkan
Tacettin
T
D000818:Animals; D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002924:Ciliary Body / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D009877:Endophthalmitis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D015818:Eye Infections, Bacterial / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D007267:Injections; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D011205:Povidone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011817:Rabbits; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D013212:Staphylococcus epidermidis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013654:Taurine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013829:Thiadiazines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014640:Vancomycin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014822:Vitreous Body / Q000187:drug effects / Q000382:microbiology
D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local; D013829:Thiadiazines; D013654:Taurine; D014640:Vancomycin; C012566:taurolidine; D011205:Povidone