title: Metronidazole plus rifampin sterilizes long-term dormant Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
abstract: Long-term nonreplicating (dormant) Mycobacterium tuberculosis populations (26-day-old cells) were sterilized by metronidazole plus rifampin, but not by metronidazole or rifampin alone, after 7 and 11 days of exposure to the drugs. Lower or no drug activity was observed against 19- or 12-day-old dormant or 5-day-old actively replicating populations.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Malattie Infettive, Parassitarie e Immunomediate, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Elisabetta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Iona
authors.forename: Federico
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Giannoni
authors.forename: Manuela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pardini
authors.forename: Lara
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Brunori
authors.forename: Graziella
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Orefici
authors.forename: Lanfranco
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fattorini
mesh_terms: D000904:Antibiotics, Antitubercular / Q000494:pharmacology; D000995:Antitubercular Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004338:Drug Combinations; D008795:Metronidazole / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D012293:Rifampin / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000904:Antibiotics, Antitubercular; D000995:Antitubercular Agents; D004338:Drug Combinations; D008795:Metronidazole; D012293:Rifampin