Inhalational Gentamicin Treatment Is Effective Against Pneumonic Plague in a Mouse Model.

ABSTRACT: Pneumonic plague is an infectious disease characterized by rapid and fulminant development of acute pneumonia and septicemia that results in death within days of exposure. The causative agent of pneumonic plague, Yersinia pestis (Y. pestis), is a Tier-1 bio-threat agent. Parenteral antibiotic treatment is effective when given within a narrow therapeutic window after symptom onset. However, the non-specific "flu-like" symptoms often lead to delayed diagnosis and therapy. In this study, we evaluated inhalational gentamicin therapy in an infected mouse model as a means to improve antibiotic treatment efficacy. Inhalation is an attractive route for treating lung infections. The advantages include directly dosing the main infection site, the relative accessibility for administration and

SUBMITTER: Gur D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5928325 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature