Clindamycin Protects Nonhuman Primates Against Inhalational Anthrax But Does Not Enhance Reduction of Circulating Toxin Levels When Combined With Ciprofloxacin.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Inhalational anthrax is rare and clinical experience limited. Expert guidelines recommend treatment with combination antibiotics including protein synthesis-inhibitors to decrease toxin production and increase survival, although evidence is lacking.

Methods

Rhesus macaques exposed to an aerosol of Bacillus anthracis spores were treated with ciprofloxacin, clindamycin, or ciprofloxacin + clindamycin after becoming bacteremic. Circulating anthrax lethal factor and protective antigen were quantitated pretreatment and 1.5 and 12 hours after beginning antibiotics.

Results

In the clindamycin group, 8 of 11 (73%) survived demonstrating its efficacy for the first time in inhalational anthrax, compared to 9 of 9 (100%) with ciprofloxacin, and 8 of 11 (73%) with cipr

SUBMITTER: Vietri NJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7857151 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature