Eagle effect in Corynebacterium diphtheriae.
The in vivo relevance of the paradoxical bactericidal effect (the Eagle effect) is not evident. We found in vitro a paradoxical bactericidal effect of amoxicillin on 2 strains of nontoxigenic Corynebacterium diphtheriae. Then, using an experimental rabbit model of endocarditis, we evaluated the in vivo relevance of this phenomenon. Rabbits were assigned to the following groups: no treatment (control group), continuous amoxicillin infusion simulating a dosage of 200 mg/kg/day in humans, and continuous amoxicillin infusion simulating a dosage of 20 mg/kg/day in humans. The low dosage (20 mg/kg/day) was significantly more effective than the high dosage (200 mg/kg/day) against both strains (P<.025), confirming the paradoxical bactericidal effect observed in vitro.
Grandière-Pérez
Lucia
L
Laboratoire d'Antibiologie, Faculte de Medecine, Nantes, France. lucia.perez@infonie.fr
Jacqueline
Cedric
C
Lemabecque
Virginie
V
Patey
Olivier
O
Potel
Gilles
G
Caillon
Jocelyne
J
D000658:Amoxicillin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003354:Corynebacterium Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003353:Corynebacterium diphtheriae / Q000187:drug effects*; D004165:Diphtheria / Q000188:drug therapy; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004697:Endocarditis, Bacterial / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D011817:Rabbits
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000658:Amoxicillin