title: Enrofloxacin and macrolides alone or in combination with rifampicin as antimicrobial treatment in a bovine model of acute Chlamydia psittaci infection.
abstract: Chlamydia psittaci is a zoonotic bacterium with a wide host range that can cause respiratory disease in humans and cattle. In the present study, effects of treatment with macrolides and quinolones applied alone or in combination with rifampicin were tested in a previously established bovine model of respiratory C. psittaci infection. Fifty animals were inoculated intrabronchially at the age of 6-8 weeks. Seven served as untreated controls, the others were assigned to seven treatment groups: (i) rifampicin, (ii) enrofloxacin, (iii) enrofloxacin + rifampicin, (iv) azithromycin, (v) azithromycin + rifampicin, (vi) erythromycin, and (vii) erythromycin + rifampicin. Treatment started 30 hours after inoculation and continued until 14 days after inoculation (dpi), when all animals were necropsied. The infection was successful in all animals and sufficient antibiotic levels were detected in blood plasma and tissue of the treated animals. Reisolation of the pathogen was achieved more often from untreated animals than from other groups. Nevertheless, pathogen detection by PCR was possible to the same extent in all animals and there were no significant differences between treated and untreated animals in terms of local (i.e., cell count and differentiation of BALF-cells) and systemic inflammation (i.e. white blood cells and concentration of acute phase protein LBP), clinical signs, and pathological findings at necropsy. Regardless of the reduced reisolation rate in treated animals, the treatment of experimentally induced respiratory C. psittaci infection with enrofloxacin, azithromycin or erythromycin alone or in combination with rifampicin was without obvious benefit for the host, since no significant differences in clinical and pathological findings or inflammatory parameters were detected and all animals recovered clinically within two weeks.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Molecular Pathogenesis at Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut (Federal Research Institute for Animal Health), Naumburger Str. 96a, 07743 Jena, Germany.
authors.forename: Annette
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Prohl
authors.affiliation: Institute of Molecular Pathogenesis at Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut (Federal Research Institute for Animal Health), Naumburger Str. 96a, 07743 Jena, Germany.
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lohr
authors.affiliation: Institute of Molecular Pathogenesis at Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut (Federal Research Institute for Animal Health), Naumburger Str. 96a, 07743 Jena, Germany.
authors.forename: Carola
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ostermann
authors.affiliation: Institute of Molecular Pathogenesis at Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut (Federal Research Institute for Animal Health), Naumburger Str. 96a, 07743 Jena, Germany.
authors.forename: Elisabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Liebler-Tenorio
authors.affiliation: Institute of Molecular Pathogenesis at Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut (Federal Research Institute for Animal Health), Naumburger Str. 96a, 07743 Jena, Germany.
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Berndt
authors.affiliation: Institute of Bacteriology and Mycology, Veterinary Faculty at The University of Leipzig, Leipzig; An den Tierkliniken 29, 04103 Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Wieland
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Schroedl
authors.affiliation: LIPIDOMIX GmbH, Robert-Rössle-Str.10, Haus 55, 13125 Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rothe
authors.affiliation: Institute of Molecular Pathogenesis at Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut (Federal Research Institute for Animal Health), Naumburger Str. 96a, 07743 Jena, Germany; OIE Reference Laboratory for Chlamydiosis at Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut (Federal Research Institute for Animal Health), Naumburger Str. 96a, 07743 Jena, Germany.
authors.forename: Evelyn
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Schubert
authors.affiliation: Institute of Molecular Pathogenesis at Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut (Federal Research Institute for Animal Health), Naumburger Str. 96a, 07743 Jena, Germany; OIE Reference Laboratory for Chlamydiosis at Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut (Federal Research Institute for Animal Health), Naumburger Str. 96a, 07743 Jena, Germany.
authors.forename: Konrad
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sachse
authors.affiliation: Institute of Molecular Pathogenesis at Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut (Federal Research Institute for Animal Health), Naumburger Str. 96a, 07743 Jena, Germany.
authors.forename: Petra
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Reinhold
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017963:Azithromycin / Q000494:pharmacology; D002417:Cattle; D002691:Chlamydophila psittaci / Q000187:drug effects*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D000077422:Enrofloxacin; D004917:Erythromycin / Q000494:pharmacology; D024841:Fluoroquinolones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007249:Inflammation / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D018942:Macrolides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D009956:Psittacosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000662:veterinary*; D012293:Rifampin / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D024841:Fluoroquinolones; D018942:Macrolides; D000077422:Enrofloxacin; D004917:Erythromycin; D017963:Azithromycin; D012293:Rifampin