Comparison of Prophylactic Tetracycline and Clioquinol in a Rabbit Model of Intestinal Infection with <i>Vibrio cholerae </i>and <i>Escherichia coli</i>

Abstract

The ability of tetracycline and clioquinol to prevent intestinal colonization of Vibrio cholerae and Escherichia coli was tested in a rabbit model. In the model 10¹⁰ bacteria are given via oro-gastric tube following intravenous cimetidine and oral sodium bicarbonate and prior to intraperitoneal tincture of opium. Eighteen hours after challenge the rabbits are sacrificed, and the numbers of the challenge strain remaining in the jejunum and ileum are determined. Tetracycline interrupted the intestinal colonization of V. cholerae and E. coli. Clioquinol however, had minimal effect on the colonization process. Our studies demonstrate the efficacy of prophylactic tetracycline but do not support the use of clioquinol to prevent intestinal infection due to these organisms. This rabbit model may also be useful to study the efficacy of other antibiotics against these bacterial infections.

Antibiotic Susceptibility of Vibrio cholerae Strains isolated in Makkah, Saudi Arabia

“…Tetracycline has been the antibiotic of choice in the treatment of cholera in both adults and children. The effectiveness of this drug is related to its enterohepatic circulation which continuously maintains an effective therapeutic level of the antibiotic in the intestine [9] . The emergence of tetracycline-resistant strains of Vibrio cholerae have been reported from Kenya [1] , Thailand [4] , Bangladesh [10] , and India [3] .…”

Evaluation of Different Antibiotics in Inhibiting Colonization of Vibrio cholerae O1 and O139 in the Rabbit Intestine

“…The efficacy of the drugs was tested in adult albino rabbits weighing 1.4-1.5 kg by the method of Sack et al [10] with some modification [11]. In brief, at first cimetidine (50 mg/kg body weight) was injected intravenously into the rabbits.…”

A multi-epitope fusion antigen candidate vaccine for Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli is protective against strain B7A colonization in a rabbit model

“…Since earlier studies have investigated the colonization of Shigellae, Vibrio cholerae and E. coli in a rabbit small intestine model, we adapted a non-surgical rabbit colonization model to study immune protection against ETEC colonization in rabbits [23][24][25]. The rabbit model has previously been utilized to investigate enteric colonization of V. cholerae, including the role of toxin, mechanisms of protection, and efficacy of antibiotic treatment [26][27][28]. Using this model of enteric colonization, we tested the ability for MEFA-based vaccine protein CFA/I/II/ IV, in combination with dmLT adjuvant, to induce broad immune responses and to protect from ETEC colonization of the rabbit small intestine.…”

“…The rabbit model has previously been utilized to investigate enteric colonization of V . cholerae , including the role of toxin, mechanisms of protection, and efficacy of antibiotic treatment [ 26 – 28 ]. Using this model of enteric colonization, we tested the ability for MEFA-based vaccine protein CFA/I/II/IV, in combination with dmLT adjuvant, to induce broad immune responses and to protect from ETEC colonization of the rabbit small intestine.…”