The efficacy of piperacillin/tazobactam in experimental Pseudomonas aeruginosa endophthalmitis: a histopathological and microbiological evaluation.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the efficacy of intravitreal piperacillin/tazobactam (250 microg/0.1 ml) in the treatment of experimental Pseudomonas aeruginosa endophthalmitis in rabbits.


METHODS
Twenty New Zealand White albino rabbits were used in this study. The rabbits were divided into two groups (10 rabbits in each), and the right eyes were treated with 0.1 ml intravitreal injections of P. aeruginosa suspension (ATCC 27853, 2 x 10(4) CFU); the left eyes served as uninfected control and were injected with 0.1 ml of saline solution. The right eyes of rabbits in group 1 (n = 10) received intravitreal injection of 250 microg piperacillin/tazobactam 24 h after intravitreal inoculation of P. aeruginosa. Group 2 eyes (n = 10) received no treatment and served as infected controls. Clinical examination of the eyes in each group was performed on the first, third, and sixth day after the inoculation of P. aeruginosa. After the last ophthalmic examination, 0.1 ml vitreous aspirates were obtained for microbiological analysis, and then the eyes were enucleated for histopathological evaluation.


RESULTS
The mean clinical scores of group 1 and group 2 at the first day after P. aeruginosa inoculation were similar (p > 0.05). At the sixth day, the mean clinical score of group 1 was significantly lower when compared with group 2 eyes (p < 0.001). Microbiological analysis revealed that group 2 had a significantly more cfu/ml than group 1 (p < 0.001), and the mean histopathological score of group 2 was significantly higher than group 2 (p = 0.009).


CONCLUSIONS
Intravitreal application of 250 microg/0.1 ml piperacillin/tazobactam seems to be effective in the treatment of P. aeruginosa endophthalmitis in rabbits. Intravitreal piperacillin/tazobactam combination may be a new therapy for P. aeruginosa endophthalmitis.
Ozkiris
Abdullah
A
Department of Ophthalmology, Erciyes University Medical Faculty, Kayseri, Turkey. aozkiris@erciyes.edu.tr
Evereklioglu
Cem
C
Esel
Duygu
D
Akgün
Hülya
H
Göktas
Sertan
S
Erkiliç
Kuddusi
K
D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D009877:Endophthalmitis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D015818:Eye Infections, Bacterial / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D010397:Penicillanic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010878:Piperacillin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011552:Pseudomonas Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000302:isolation & purification; D011817:Rabbits; D000078142:Tazobactam; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014822:Vitreous Body / Q000382:microbiology; D065093:beta-Lactamase Inhibitors
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D065093:beta-Lactamase Inhibitors; D010397:Penicillanic Acid; D000078142:Tazobactam; D010878:Piperacillin