title: Successful moxifloxacin prophylaxis against experimental streptococcal aortic valve endocarditis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Studies related to the prophylactic efficacy of fluoroquinolones against infective endocarditis are scarce. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of moxifloxacin, a quinolone active in vitro against Gram-positive cocci, in preventing streptococcal aortic valve endocarditis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Non-bacterial thrombotic endocarditis of the aortic valve was induced by the insertion of a polyethylene catheter. Twenty-four hours later, rabbits were randomly assigned to a control group, and groups receiving either two doses of ampicillin (40 mg/kg, intravenously), 2 h apart, or a single dose of moxifloxacin (15 mg/kg, intravenously). Ampicillin and moxifloxacin were administered 0.5 and 1 h, respectively, prior to the intravenous inoculation of 10(7) cfu of Streptococcus oralis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eighty-nine percent of the control animals developed infected vegetations. In rabbits challenged with this very high inoculum, moxifloxacin and ampicillin prevented endocarditis in 80% (P < 0.001 versus controls) and in 50% (P = 0.022 versus controls) of animals, respectively. The difference between ampicillin and moxifloxacin was not statistically significant (P = 0.128).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Moxifloxacin was at least as effective as ampicillin in preventing streptococcal endocarditis.
authors.affiliation: 4th Department of Internal Medicine, General Hospital Attikon, University of Athens, Medical School, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Vissaria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Sakka
authors.forename: Lambrini
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Galani
authors.forename: Angelos
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pefanis
authors.forename: Dimitrios
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Iliopoulos
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Athanasopoulos
authors.forename: Ismini
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Donta
authors.forename: Helen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Giamarellou
mesh_terms: D000667:Ampicillin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019072:Antibiotic Prophylaxis / Q000379:methods*; D001021:Aortic Valve / Q000382:microbiology*; D001372:Aza Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004697:Endocarditis, Bacterial / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D024841:Fluoroquinolones; D006349:Heart Valve Diseases / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000077266:Moxifloxacin; D011804:Quinolines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011817:Rabbits; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D019533:Streptococcus oralis / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001372:Aza Compounds; D024841:Fluoroquinolones; D011804:Quinolines; D000667:Ampicillin; D000077266:Moxifloxacin