In vitro susceptibilities of Bartonella and Rickettsia spp. to fluoroquinolone antibiotics as determined by immunofluorescent antibody analysis of infected Vero cell monolayers

Int J Antimicrob Agents. 2001 Sep;18(3):217-22. doi: 10.1016/s0924-8579(01)00388-0.

Abstract

The in vitro susceptibilities of Bartonella and Rickettsia spp. to different concentrations of ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, ofloxacin and sparfloxacin in Vero cell cultures, were determined by enumeration of immunofluorescent-stained bacilli. After incubation in a CO(2)-enriched atmosphere, inocula were replaced and tested with media containing 12 different concentrations of each antibiotic in replicate for each species and the monolayers were re-incubated. Growth status was determined by evaluation of immunofluorescent staining bacilli. Effective inhibitory antibiotic dilution endpoints were determined by counting Bartonella- and Rickettsia-specific fluorescent foci across a range of antibiotic dilutions with an epi-fluorescent microscope, and were compared with an antibiotic-negative control. Based upon the use of C(max):MIC and AUC:MIC data, levofloxacin exhibited activity against Bartonella elizabethae and B. quintana.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Anti-Infective Agents / pharmacology*
  • Bartonella / drug effects*
  • Chlorocebus aethiops
  • Colony Count, Microbial
  • Fluorescent Antibody Technique
  • Fluoroquinolones
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Rickettsia / drug effects*
  • Vero Cells / microbiology

Substances

  • Anti-Infective Agents
  • Fluoroquinolones