Influence of a new fluoroquinolone, AF3013 (the active metabolite of prulifloxacin), on macrophage functions against Klebsiella pneumoniae: an in vitro comparison with pefloxacin

The efficacy of an antibiotic In the treatment of bacterial infections depe nds upon the interaction of bacterium, drug and phagocytes, In this study w e have investigated the influence of AF3013, a new fluoroquinolone, on the activities of mouse peritoneal macrophages against Klebsiella pneumoniae, I n comparison with the influence of pefloxacin. Bacterial susceptibility to phagocytosis and intracellular killing were determined after klebsiellae an d macrophages had been incubated simultaneously with inhibitory concentrati ons of both AF3013 and pefloxacin and following pre-exposure of the microor ganisms and the macrophages individually to the same concentrations of each drug. Under the experimental conditions used, both AF3013 and pefloxacin p otentiated the phagocytic and microbicidal activities of the macrophages, a lthough different mechanisms may be involved.