Marbofloxacin for the treatment of experimentally induced Mycoplasma haemofelis infection in cats.
BACKGROUND
Administration of tetracyclines or fluoroquinolones is associated with improvement in clinical and laboratory abnormalities in cats infected with Mycoplasma haemofelis. No treatment protocol has consistently eliminated the organism, and antimicrobial susceptibility may vary among M. haemofelis isolates. Continued search for effective therapies is warranted.


OBJECTIVE
Marbofloxacin administered at the onset of clinical illness will be safe and effective for the treatment of M. haemofelis.


METHODS
Fourteen young adult, laboratory-reared cats housed together in a specific pathogen-free facility.


METHODS
Twelve cats were inoculated IV with 2.0 mL of blood from 2 M. haemofelis positive cats. Clinical parameters were assessed daily. CBC and hemoplasma polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay were performed before inoculation, weekly for 1-3 weeks postinoculation (PI) and twice weekly 3-6 weeks PI. Treatment with marbofloxacin (2.75 mg/kg PO daily for 14 days) was initiated in 6 randomly selected cats when PCV was <30% or fever was >102.5 degrees F (39.2 degrees C). Cats that were PCR positive on day 7 of therapy were treated for 28 days. Cats that were PCR negative on day 42 PI were treated with 20 mg/kg methylprednisolone acetate IM on day 50 PI.


RESULTS
Significant differences between groups on some days after inoculation included higher PCV and red blood cell counts, lower mean cell volume, and higher mean cell hemoglobin content in marbofloxacin-treated cats. No differences in PCR assay results were noted between groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Marbofloxacin was safe and resulted in more rapid hematologic improvement in M. haemofelis-infected cats, but did not change clinical scores and did not consistently eliminate infection.
Ishak
A M
AM
Department of Clinical Sciences College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA. amishak.fvs@gmail.com
Dowers
K L
KL
Cavanaugh
M T
MT
Powell
C C
CC
Hawley
J R
JR
Radecki
S V
SV
Lappin
M R
MR
D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002415:Cats; D024841:Fluoroquinolones / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009174:Mycoplasma / Q000145:classification*; D009175:Mycoplasma Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000662:veterinary*; D013047:Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D024841:Fluoroquinolones; C080260:marbofloxacin