Residual brain infection in murine relapsing fever borreliosis can be successfully treated with ceftriaxone.
Like several other spirochetes, relapsing fever Borrelia can cause persistent infection of the central nervous system (CNS). By treating mice harboring residual Borrelia duttonii brain infection with the bacteriocidal, cell wall inhibiting antibiotic ceftriaxone, bacteria were cleared from the brain. This shows that the residual infection is not latent but actively growing.
Larsson
Christer
C
Department of Molecular Biology, Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS), Umeå University, SE-901 87 Umeå, Sweden.
Lundqvist
Jenny
J
Bergström
Sven
S
D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001898:Borrelia / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D001921:Brain / Q000382:microbiology*; D002443:Ceftriaxone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D012061:Relapsing Fever / Q000382:microbiology*
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D002443:Ceftriaxone