In vitro and in vivo antibacterial activities of telithromycin

Background. Telithromycin is one of the ketolides, characterised by a 3-keto group instead of L-cladinose and a C(11)-C(12) carbamate link by an alkyl chain to a pyridinum and imidazolium ring side chain. We evaluated in vitro and in vivo antibacterial activities of telithromycin against gynaecological pathogens. Methods: In the vitro study, the antibacterial activity of telithromycin against 180 isolates (isolated in the year 2000) of Streptococcus agalactiae (n = 33), Enterococcus faecalis (n = 22), Neisseria gonorrhoeae (n = 30), Peptostreptococcus anaerobius (n = 20), Finegoldia magna (n = 20), Bacteroides fragilis (n = 25) and Prevotella bivia (n = 30) was compared with that of erythromycin A, clarithromycin, azithromycin, ampicillin and levofloxacin. In the in vivo study, the efficacy of telithromycin was evaluated using experimental intra-abdominal abscesses in mice caused by B. fragilis (minimum inhibitory concentration of telithromycin 0.5 mg/l). Results: In the in vitro study, telithromycin inhibited more than 50% of clinical isolates of S. agalactiae, E faecalis, N. gonorrhoeae, P. anaerobius, F. magna, B. fragilis and P. bivia at concentrations of 0.016, 0.063, 0.063, 0.032, 0.032, 0.5 and 0.25 mg/l, respectively. Telithromycin inhibited more than 90% of these clinical isolates at concentrations of 0.016, 4, 0.125, 0.063, 0.063, 4 and 1 mg/l, respectively. In the in vivo study, telithromycin inhibited abscess formation and significantly decreased viable cell counts in abscesses in comparison with the untreated group. Conclusions: These in vitro and in vivo antibacterial activities suggest that telithromycin could be a potential candidate for the treatment of bacterial infections complicated by chlamydial infection. Copyright (C) 2003 S. Karger AG, Basel.