title: Efficacy of an experimental azithromycin cream for prophylaxis of tick-transmitted lyme disease spirochete infection in a murine model.
abstract: As an alternative to oral prophylaxis for the prevention of tick transmission of Borrelia burgdorferi, we tested antibiotic cream prophylactic formulations in a murine model of spirochete infection. A 4% preparation of doxycycline cream afforded no protection, but a single application of 4% azithromycin cream was 100% protective when applied directly to the tick bite site at the time of tick removal. Indeed, the azithromycin cream was 100% effective when applied at up to 3 days after tick removal and protected 74% of mice exposed to tick bite when applied at up to 2 weeks after tick removal. Azithromycin cream was also protective when applied at a site distal to the tick bite site, suggesting that it was having a systemic effect in addition to a local transdermal effect. Mice that were protected from tick-transmitted infection did not seroconvert and did not infect larval ticks on xenodiagnosis. Azithromycin cream formulations appear to hold promise for Lyme disease prophylaxis.
authors.affiliation: Division of Vector Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA.
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Piesman
authors.forename: Andrias
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hojgaard
authors.forename: Amy J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Ullmann
authors.forename: Marc C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Dolan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017963:Azithromycin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D025065:Borrelia burgdorferi / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D004318:Doxycycline / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D008193:Lyme Disease / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000635:transmission; D051379:Mice; D013987:Ticks / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D017963:Azithromycin; D004318:Doxycycline