title: Efficacy of ciprofloxacin versus doxycycline as prophylaxis against experimental murine Brucella melitensis infection.
abstract: The prophylactic potential of ciprofloxacin was assessed in comparison with doxycycline, an established therapeutic antibiotic, to limit or control infection by Brucella melitensis in an experimental mouse model. Ciprofloxacin treatment reduced bacterial loads in the spleens of challenged mice when administered prior to or at the same time as the bacterial challenge. In comparison, doxycycline provided much greater reductions in bacterial counts, even when treatment was initiated after infection. Doxycycline was able to protect against B. melitensis when administered for 5 days from 24 h after infection and for at least 28 days after cessation of the antibiotic. Overall, these results confirm that ciprofloxacin is less effective than doxycycline but suggest that it may have some utility in providing protection against low-level infections. Combination studies are indicated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, Porton Down, Salisbury SP4 0JQ, UK. hsatkins@dstl.gov.uk
authors.forename: Helen S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Atkins
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Spencer
authors.forename: Simon D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Brew
authors.forename: Dominic C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Jenner
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Russell
authors.forename: Alastair P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: MacMillan
authors.forename: Stephen M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Eley
authors.forename: Andrew J H
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Simpson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019072:Antibiotic Prophylaxis / Q000379:methods*; D017347:Brucella melitensis / Q000187:drug effects; D002006:Brucellosis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002939:Ciprofloxacin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D004318:Doxycycline / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D013154:Spleen / Q000382:microbiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D002939:Ciprofloxacin; D004318:Doxycycline