Efficacy of azithromycin in a murine toxoplasmosis model, employing a Toxoplasma gondii strain from Turkey.

A murine toxoplasmosis model with Balb/C mice was used to investigate the therapeutic and prophylactic efficacy of azithromycin in a native strain of Toxoplasma gondii. Initially, seven groups--four studies and three controls--were established and 10(3) tachyzoites of this native strain of T. gondii were injected intraperitoneally to the mice in groups 1, 2, 3, 4 and 7. Azithromycin was given to groups 1-4 at different times of infection orally between 100 and 300 mg/kg/day for 10 days. Azithromycin was found to be effective at 200 mg/kg/day and above in the prophylaxis, at 250 mg/kg/day and above in the treatment of toxoplasmosis. These results suggest that azithromycin is effective in the prophylaxis and early infection of a highly virulent strain of T. gondii, and it doubled the survival time in the late infection. Azithromycin could be an alternative treatment regimen for human toxoplasmosis, if supported by further clinical investigations.