Efficacy of amikacin, ofloxacin, pefloxacin, ciprofloxacin, enoxacin and fleroxacin in experimental left-sided Pseudomonas aeruginosa endocarditis

The efficacies of amikacin, ofloxacin, pefloxacin, ciprofloxacin, enoxacin and fleroxacin, each as monotherapy, were evaluated in a rabbit model of in duced left-sided Pseudomonas aeruginosa endocarditis. Therapy started 48 h after infection and lasted 5 days. All agents were given intramuscularly; a mikacin at 7 mg/kg/12 h, and each quinolone at 35 mg/kg/12 h. All animals s urvived except for 1 of the group that received amikacin, and 2 of the untr eated control group. No sterile vegetations were found in the untreated gro up and the group of fleroxacin, while 3 animals from the amikacin, ofloxaci n, and enoxacin groups, and 2 from the ciprofloxacin and pefloxacin groups had sterile vegetations. All agents used significantly reduced the number o f CFU per gram of vegetation versus untreated controls. Enoxacin and ciprof loxacin were equipotent and more effective than pefloxacin, ofloxacin and a mikacin. Fleroxacin had a weaker activity. Copyright (C) 2000 S. Karger AG. Basel.