Activities of sitafloxacin (DU-6859a), either singly or in combination with rifampin, against Mycobacterium ulcerans infection in mice.

Efficacy of a new fluoroquinolone, sitafloxacin (DU-6859a), against Mycobacterium ulcerans was evaluated in vivo using the mouse footpad system. The growth of M. ulcerans in mouse footpads was completely inhibited when mice were fed with sitafloxacin at a dose of 25 mg/kg body weight per day; on the other hand similar effects were observed with ofloxacin at a dose of 100 mg/kg body weight per day. In the presence of rifampin, the above dose of sitafloxacin could be reduced by 75% to achieve total inhibition, while, under similar circumstances, the dose of ofloxacin could be reduced by only 50%. Either used singly or in combination with rifampin, the effects of sitafloxacin were bactericidal. The results suggest that sitafloxacin should be evaluated as a chemotherapeutic agent against M. ulcerans infection.