rifapentine and Acquired-Immunodeficiency-Syndrome

The activities of sparfloxacin, azithromycin, temafloxacin, and rifapentine against two virulent strains of the Mycobacterium avium complex isolated from patients with AIDS were evaluated in a model of intracellular infection and were compared with that of clarithromycin. Human monocyte-derived macrophages were infected with the M. avium complex at day 6 of culture. The intracellular CFU was counted 60 min after inoculation. The intracellular and supernatant CFU was counted on days 4 and 7 after inoculation. The concentrations used, which were equal to peak levels in serum, were 10 micrograms of rifapentine per ml (MICs for the two strains, 4 and 16 micrograms/ml), 4 micrograms of clarithromycin per ml (MICs, 8 and 4 micrograms/ml), 1 microgram of azithromycin per ml (MICs, 32 and 16 micrograms/ml), 4 micrograms of temafloxacin per ml (MICs, 2 and 16 micrograms/ml), and 1 microgram of sparfloxacin per ml (MICs, 0.5 and 2 micrograms/ml). Compared with controls on day 7 after inoculation, clarithromycin (P less than 0.001), sparfloxacin (P less than 0.001), and azithromycin (P less than 0.001 for the first strain, P less than 0.02 for the second) slowed intracellular replication. Rifapentine (P less than 0.001) and temafloxacin (P less than 0.001) slowed intracellular replication of the first strain but not of the second strain. Azithromycin plus sparfloxacin was as effective as sparfloxacin alone. In this macrophage model, sparfloxacin or clarithromycin (difference not significant) exhibited a better efficacy than rifapentine, azithromycin, or temafloxacin against intracellular M. avium complex infection.

Topics: 4-Quinolones; Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Azithromycin; Cell Division; Clarithromycin; Erythromycin; Fluoroquinolones; Humans; In Vitro Techniques; Leprostatic Agents; Macrophages; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Mycobacterium avium Complex; Quinolones; Rifampin

Minimal inhibitory and bactericidal concentrations (MICs and MBCs) of rifampin (RMP), rifabutin (RBT), rifapentine (RPT), CGP-7040, and P-DEA, were determined for 50 M. avium strains in 7H12 liquid medium radiometrically under various pH conditions. Half were isolated from patients with AIDS and the other half from patients without AIDS but with pulmonary disease. The MICs and MBCs were also determined in 7H12 broth for M. tuberculosis strains. The MIC results obtained with M. tuberculosis strains, and the serum peak levels in humans, were used as standards for interpretation of the MICs and MBCs of the rifamycins for M. avium. The bactericidal activity of all rifamycins for M. avium was substantially lower than for M. tuberculosis. The majority of M. avium strains was within the "susceptible" category, e.g., comparable to susceptible M. tuberculosis strains, when tested with CGP-7040 and RPT, and all of them were "moderately susceptible" when tested with P-DEA. On the basis of in vitro bacteriostatic and bactericidal activity, it seems that three agents, RPT, P-DEA, and CGP-7040 have more potential than do RMP and RBT against M. avium disease.

Topics: Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome; Humans; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Mycobacterium avium; Mycobacterium tuberculosis; Rifabutin; Rifampin; Rifamycins