BACKGROUND: Ureaplasma causes sepsis in human neonates. Although erythromycin has been the standard treatment, it is not always effective. No published reports have evaluated Ureaplasma sepsis in a neonatal model. We hypothesized that appropriate antibiotic treatment improves Ureaplasma sepsis in a neonatal mouse model. METHODS: Two ATCC strains and two clinical strains of Ureaplasma were evaluated in vitro for antibiotic minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC). In addition, FVB albino mice pups infected with Ureaplasma were randomly assigned to saline, erythromycin, or azithromycin therapy and survival, quantitative blood culture, and growth were evaluated. RESULTS: MICs ranged from 0.125 to 62.5 µg/ml and 0.25 to 1.0 µg/ml for erythromycin and azithromycin, respectively. The infecting strain and antibiotic selected for treatment appeared to affect survival and bacteremia, but only the infecting strain affected growth. Azithromycin improved survival and bacteremia against each strain, whereas erythromycin was effective against only one of four strains. CONCLUSION: We have established a neonatal model of Ureaplasma sepsis and observed that treatment outcome is related to infecting strain and antibiotic treatment. We speculate that appropriate antibiotic selection and dosing are required for effective treatment of Ureaplasma sepsis in neonates, and this model could be used to further evaluate these relationships.
BACKGROUND: Ureaplasma causes sepsis in human neonates. Although erythromycin has been the standard treatment, it is not always effective. No published reports have evaluated Ureaplasma sepsis in a neonatal model. We hypothesized that appropriate antibiotic treatment improves Ureaplasma sepsis in a neonatal mouse model. METHODS: Two ATCC strains and two clinical strains of Ureaplasma were evaluated in vitro for antibiotic minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC). In addition, FVB albino mice pups infected with Ureaplasma were randomly assigned to saline, erythromycin, or azithromycin therapy and survival, quantitative blood culture, and growth were evaluated. RESULTS: MICs ranged from 0.125 to 62.5 µg/ml and 0.25 to 1.0 µg/ml for erythromycin and azithromycin, respectively. The infecting strain and antibiotic selected for treatment appeared to affect survival and bacteremia, but only the infecting strain affected growth. Azithromycin improved survival and bacteremia against each strain, whereas erythromycin was effective against only one of four strains. CONCLUSION: We have established a neonatal model of Ureaplasma sepsis and observed that treatment outcome is related to infecting strain and antibiotic treatment. We speculate that appropriate antibiotic selection and dosing are required for effective treatment of Ureaplasma sepsis in neonates, and this model could be used to further evaluate these relationships.
Authors: Roberto Romero; Jezid Miranda; Juan P Kusanovic; Tinnakorn Chaiworapongsa; Piya Chaemsaithong; Alicia Martinez; Francesca Gotsch; Zhong Dong; Ahmed I Ahmed; Majid Shaman; Kia Lannaman; Bo Hyun Yoon; Sonia S Hassan; Chong J Kim; Steven J Korzeniewski; Lami Yeo; Yeon Mee Kim Journal: J Perinat Med Date: 2015-01 Impact factor: 1.901
Authors: L Marcela Merchan; Hazem E Hassan; Michael L Terrin; Ken B Waites; David A Kaufman; Namasivayam Ambalavanan; Pamela Donohue; Susan J Dulkerian; Robert Schelonka; Laurence S Magder; Sagar Shukla; Natalie D Eddington; Rose M Viscardi Journal: Antimicrob Agents Chemother Date: 2014-11-10 Impact factor: 5.191
Authors: Xiaohui Wang; Melissa J Karau; Kerryl E Greenwood-Quaintance; Darci R Block; Jayawant N Mandrekar; Scott A Cunningham; Robin Patel Journal: PLoS One Date: 2016-08-18 Impact factor: 3.240