Biomaterial Database

Efficacy of azithromycin in the treatment of guinea pigs infected with Legionella pneumophila by aerosol. 1990

R B Fitzgeorge, and A S Featherstone, and A Baskerville

Public Health Laboratory Service, Centre for Applied Microbiology and Research, Salisbury, Wiltshire, UK.

Azithromycin and erythromycin were compared for efficacy in guinea pigs infected with an aerosol containing Legionella pneumophila. When administered intraperitoneally, azithromycin was very effective in the treatment of experimental Legionnaires' disease. Even at the low dose of 3.6 mg/kg/day it gave 100% survival and eliminated lung infectivity two days following infection. In contrast, erythromycin at a much higher dose (96 mg/kg/day) gave only 83.3% survival and failed to eliminate organisms from the lung six days after infection. The histological findings confirmed the superiority of azithromycin. A single dose of azithromycin given intraperitoneally at 3.6 or 14.4 mg/kg gave survival rates of 83.3 and 100%, respectively. Azithromycin was also found to be superior to erythromycin in eliminating lung infectivity and reducing mortality, when administered orally. However, oral administration of azithromycin was not as effective as intraperitoneal when assessed by lung histopathology, although it was still superior to oral erythromycin treatment.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007263	Infusions, Parenteral	The administration of liquid medication, nutrient, or other fluid through some other route than the alimentary canal, usually over minutes or hours, either by gravity flow or often by infusion pumping.	Intra-Abdominal Infusions,Intraperitoneal Infusions,Parenteral Infusions,Peritoneal Infusions,Infusion, Intra-Abdominal,Infusion, Intraperitoneal,Infusion, Parenteral,Infusion, Peritoneal,Infusions, Intra-Abdominal,Infusions, Intraperitoneal,Infusions, Peritoneal,Intra Abdominal Infusions,Intra-Abdominal Infusion,Intraperitoneal Infusion,Parenteral Infusion,Peritoneal Infusion
D007875	Legionella	Gram-negative aerobic rods, isolated from surface water or thermally polluted lakes or streams. Member are pathogenic for man. Legionella pneumophila is the causative agent for LEGIONNAIRES' DISEASE.
D007877	Legionnaires' Disease	An acute, sometimes fatal, pneumonia-like bacterial infection characterized by high fever, malaise, muscle aches, respiratory disorders and headache. It is named for an outbreak at the 1976 Philadelphia convention of the American Legion.	Legionella pneumophila Infections,Infections, Legionella pneumophila,Legionnaire Disease,Pontiac Fever,Disease, Legionnaire,Disease, Legionnaires',Fever, Pontiac,Infection, Legionella pneumophila,Legionella pneumophila Infection,Legionnaire's Disease,Legionnaires Disease
D004917	Erythromycin	A bacteriostatic antibiotic macrolide produced by Streptomyces erythreus. Erythromycin A is considered its major active component. In sensitive organisms, it inhibits protein synthesis by binding to 50S ribosomal subunits. This binding process inhibits peptidyl transferase activity and interferes with translocation of amino acids during translation and assembly of proteins.	Erycette,Erymax,Erythromycin A,Erythromycin C,Erythromycin Lactate,Erythromycin Phosphate,Ilotycin,T-Stat,Lactate, Erythromycin,Phosphate, Erythromycin,T Stat,TStat
D005260	Female		Females
D006168	Guinea Pigs	A common name used for the genus Cavia. The most common species is Cavia porcellus which is the domesticated guinea pig used for pets and biomedical research.	Cavia,Cavia porcellus,Guinea Pig,Pig, Guinea,Pigs, Guinea
D000284	Administration, Oral	The giving of drugs, chemicals, or other substances by mouth.	Drug Administration, Oral,Administration, Oral Drug,Oral Administration,Oral Drug Administration,Administrations, Oral,Administrations, Oral Drug,Drug Administrations, Oral,Oral Administrations,Oral Drug Administrations
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D017963	Azithromycin	A semi-synthetic macrolide antibiotic structurally related to ERYTHROMYCIN. It has been used in the treatment of Mycobacterium avium intracellulare infections, toxoplasmosis, and cryptosporidiosis.	Azadose,Azithromycin Dihydrate,Azithromycin Monohydrate,Azitrocin,Azythromycin,CP-62993,Goxal,Sumamed,Toraseptol,Ultreon,Vinzam,Zentavion,Zithromax,Zitromax,CP 62993,CP62993,Dihydrate, Azithromycin,Monohydrate, Azithromycin