Tylosin concentrations in rat serum and lung tissue after administration in drinking water.

Tylosin has low in vitro minimum inhibitory concentrations against Mycoplasma pulmonis but levels attainable in rat serum or lung tissue have not been reported previously. Tylosin levels in rat serum and lung tissue were determined after administration of tylosin in the drinking water. Rats were given water mixed with a commercially available preparation of tylosin base, vitamins, and dextrose. Although the calculated amount of tylosin added to the water was intended to provide a concentration of 500 mg/L, the concentration attained was 70-79 mg/L and decreased rapidly with time. Bioassay of serum and lung tissue after 1-10 days of continuous medication revealed no detectable tylosin concentrations (less than 0.1 microgram/ml) in serum, while lung tissue from all treated rats contained tylosin (means = 10.69 +/- 2.66 micrograms/gm tissue, range = 3.93 to 18.14, n = 59). These concentrations are over ten times the reported in vitro minimum inhibitory concentrations against M. pulmonis which indicates that tylosin administration in drinking water may be useful in the treatment of M. pulmonis pneumonia in rats.