In vitro and in vivo susceptibility of the Lyme disease spirochete, Borrelia burgdorferi, to four antimicrobial agents

Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 1987 Feb;31(2):164-7. doi: 10.1128/AAC.31.2.164.

Abstract

The antimicrobial susceptibility of Borrelia burgdorferi isolated from human spinal fluid was determined in vitro and in vivo. A broth dilution technique was used to determine the MBCs of four antimicrobial agents. The Lyme disease spirochete was most susceptible to ceftriaxone (MBC, 0.04 microgram/ml) and erythromycin (MBC, 0.05 microgram/ml), then tetracycline (MBC, 0.8 microgram/ml), and finally penicillin G (MBC, 6.4 micrograms/ml). Syrian hamsters were used to determine the 50% curative doses (CD50s) of the four antimicrobial agents. Ceftriaxone and tetracycline had the highest activities, with CD50s of 24.0 and 28.7 mg/kg [corrected], respectively. Both erythromycin and penicillin G possessed low activities. The CD50 of erythromycin was 235.3 mg/kg [corrected], and the CD50 of penicillin G was greater than 197.5 mg/kg [corrected].

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Borrelia / drug effects*
  • Borrelia burgdorferi*
  • Ceftriaxone / pharmacology*
  • Ceftriaxone / therapeutic use
  • Cricetinae
  • Erythromycin / pharmacology*
  • Erythromycin / therapeutic use
  • Humans
  • Lyme Disease / drug therapy
  • Lyme Disease / microbiology
  • Mesocricetus
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Penicillin G / pharmacology*
  • Penicillin G / therapeutic use
  • Tetracycline / pharmacology*
  • Tetracycline / therapeutic use

Substances

  • Erythromycin
  • Ceftriaxone
  • Tetracycline
  • Penicillin G