ABSTRACT
The anti-rickettsial activity of azithromycin and clarithromycin was studied in Vero cells. The rate of rickettsial inhibition-growth caused by both macrolides was determined using rickettsial counts and ELISA. Both macrolides inhibited > 50% the growth of Rickettsia conorii and Rickettsia typhi at concentrations of 1.0 and 0.1 mg/L, respectively. The growth of Coxiella burnetii was inhibited to a rate of > or = 50% at the concentrations of 0.01 and 1.0 mg/L of azithromycin and clarithromycin, respectively.
Subject(s)
Anti-Bacterial Agents/pharmacology , Azithromycin/pharmacology , Clarithromycin/pharmacology , Coxiella burnetii/drug effects , Rickettsia typhi/drug effects , Rickettsia/drug effects , Animals , Chlorocebus aethiops , Colony Count, Microbial , Coxiella burnetii/growth & development , Microbial Sensitivity Tests , Rickettsia/growth & development , Rickettsia typhi/growth & development , Vero CellsABSTRACT
Chronic Q fever has been associated with endocarditis, granulomatous hepatitis, and osteomyelitis but only rarely with pregnancy. The apparent predilection of Coxiella burnetii, the organism causing Q fever, for the human placenta suggests that chronic Q fever of pregnancy is due to placentitis. We describe a patient with chronic, clinically apparent Q fever in pregnancy and a successful outcome. The diagnosis was made both by serology and by isolation of C. burnetii from the patient's serum and placenta. Therapy with erythromycin and rifampin contributed to the delivery of a healthy baby. The mother's infection was clinically cured by subsequent therapy with doxycycline and rifampin.
Subject(s)
Coxiella burnetii/isolation & purification , Placenta/microbiology , Pregnancy Complications, Infectious/diagnosis , Q Fever/complications , Adult , Antibodies, Bacterial/blood , Chronic Disease , Coxiella burnetii/genetics , Coxiella burnetii/immunology , DNA, Bacterial/genetics , DNA, Bacterial/isolation & purification , Drug Therapy, Combination/therapeutic use , Erythromycin/therapeutic use , Female , Humans , Infant, Newborn , Male , Pregnancy , Pregnancy Complications, Infectious/drug therapy , Pregnancy Outcome , Q Fever/diagnosis , Q Fever/drug therapy , Rifampin/therapeutic useABSTRACT
IgM and IgG natural antibodies to Tamm-Horsfall glycoprotein (THP) were found in serum samples of all healthy individuals tested by the ELISA technique. The IgM anti-THP antibody level was higher in the group 1-20 years old than the IgG anti-THP. The IgG anti-THP rose with increase in age (greater than 21 years old groups) and then the IgG and IgM anti-THP activity over aging remained constant. The natural anti-THP antibodies possess a lower degree of specificity and/or avidity than induced antibodies. The antibody titers against THP determined in 61 adult patients with chronic kidney diseases was significantly lower than that in adult controls. This low level of naturally occurring THP antibodies appears to be a general phenomenon. In these patients, diminished antibody levels appeared against a panel of self (collagen, fibronectin, THP) and non self (bovine gamma globulin (BGG), ovalbumin (OVA)) antigens as compared with normal controls. The low levels of these antibodies are not associated with a concomitant drop of IgG and IgM in their sera.
