title: Evaluation of azithromycin, trovafloxacin and grepafloxacin as prophylaxis against experimental murine Brucella melitensis infection.
abstract: The prophylactic potential of the azalide azithromycin as well as the fluoroquinolones trovafloxacin and grepafloxacin was assessed for the control of infection with Brucella melitensis in an experimental mouse model, determined by reduction in splenic bacterial burden. Trovafloxacin showed limited protective efficacy when administered 2h following a low-dose B. melitensis challenge, whereas grepafloxacin was ineffective. In comparison, azithromycin provided significant control of infection both following low- and high-dose challenges. Overall, the data confirm the potential utility of azithromycin in the prophylaxis of brucellosis and suggest that neither trovafloxacin nor grepafloxacin would likely be valuable for post-exposure prophylaxis of Brucella infection.
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: Armine M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Sefton
authors.forename: Alastair P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: MacMillan
authors.forename: Timothy J G
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Brooks
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*; D017963:Azithromycin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017347:Brucella melitensis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002006:Brucellosis / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D024841:Fluoroquinolones / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009287:Naphthyridines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010879:Piperazines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013154:Spleen / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D024841:Fluoroquinolones; D009287:Naphthyridines; D010879:Piperazines; D017963:Azithromycin; C080163:trovafloxacin; C075375:grepafloxacin