Azzam Saleh-Mghir

Panton–Valentine Leukocidin Enhances the Severity of Community-Associated Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Rabbit Osteomyelitis

Background Extensive spread of community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) in the United States, and the concomitant increase in severe invasive staphylococcal infections, including osteomyelitis, in healthy children, has led to renewed interest in Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL). However, the pathogenetic role of PVL in staphylococcal infections remains controversial, possibly because it depends on the site of infection. Methodology/Principal Findings We compared the course of experimental rabbit osteomyelitis due to the PVL-positive CA-MRSA strain USA 300 (LAC) and its PVL-negative isogenic derivative (LACΔpvl), using a low and a high inoculum (8×105 and 4×108 CFU). With the low inoculum, bone infection was less frequent on day 7 (D7) and day 28 (D28) with LACΔpvl than with LAC (respectively 12/19 and 18/19 animals, p = 0.042). With the high inoculum of both strains, all the animals were infected on D7 and the infection persisted on D28 in almost every case. However, tibial bacterial counts and the serum CRP concentration fell significantly between D7 and D28 with LACΔpvl but not with LAC. Respectively 67% and 60% of LAC-infected rabbits had bone deformation and muscle/joint involvement on D7, compared to 0% and 7% of LACΔpvl-infected rabbits (p = 0.001 and p = 0.005 respectively). Between D0 and D28, the anti-PVL antibody titer increased significantly only with the high inoculum of LAC. Conclusions/Significance PVL appears to play a role in the persistence and rapid local extension of rabbit osteomyelitis, in keeping with the greater severity of human bone infections due to PVL-positive S. aureus. The possible therapeutic implications of these findings are discussed.

Activity and diffusion of tigecycline (GAR-936) in experimental enterococcal endocarditis

ABSTRACT The activity of tigecycline (GAR-936), a novel glycylcycline, was investigated in vitro and in experimental endocarditis due to the susceptible Enterococcus faecalis JH2-2 strain, its VanA type transconjugant BM4316, and a clinical VanA type strain, E. faecium HB217 resistant to tetracycline. MICs of GAR-936 were 0.06 μg/ml for the three strains. In vitro pharmacodynamic studies demonstrated a bacteriostatic effect of GAR-936 that was not enhanced by increasing concentrations to more than 1 μg/ml and a postantibiotic effect ranging from 1 to 4.5 h for concentrations of 1- to 20-fold the MIC. Intravenous injection of [14C]GAR-936 to five rabbits with enterococcal endocarditis sacrificed 30 min, 4 h, or 12 h after the end of the infusion evidenced a lower clearance of GAR-936 from aortic vegetations than from serum and a homogeneous diffusion of GAR-936 into the vegetations. In rabbits with endocarditis, GAR-936 (14 mg/kg of body weight twice a day [b.i.d.]) given intravenously for 5 days was bacteriostatic against both strains of E. faecalis. Against E. faecium HB217, bacterial counts in vegetations significantly decreased during therapy (P < 0.01), and the effect was similar with GAR-936 at 14 mg/kg b.i.d., 14 mg/kg once a day (o.d.), and 7 mg/kg o.d., which provided concentrations in serum constantly above the MIC. Mean serum elimination half-life ranged from 3.3 to 3.6 h. No GAR-936-resistant mutants were selected in vivo with any regimen. We concluded that the combination of prolonged half-life, significant postantibiotic effect, and good and homogeneous diffusion into the vegetations may account for the in vivo activity of GAR-936 against enterococci susceptible or resistant to glycopeptides and tetracyclines, even when using a o.d. regimen in rabbits.

Adjunctive Rifampin Is Crucial to Optimizing Daptomycin Efficacy against Rabbit Prosthetic Joint Infection Due to Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus

ABSTRACT Daptomycin is an attractive option for treating prosthetic joint infection, but the 6-mg/kg of body weight/day dose was linked to clinical failure and emergence of resistance. Using a methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) knee prosthesis infection in rabbits, we studied the efficacies of high-dose daptomycin (22 mg/kg given intravenously [i.v.] once daily [o.d.]; equivalent to 8 mg/kg/day in humans) or vancomycin (60 mg/kg given intramuscularly [i.m.] twice daily [b.i.d.]), both either alone or with adjunctive rifampin (10 mg/kg i.m. b.i.d.). After partial knee replacement with a silicone implant, 107 MRSA CFU was injected into the knees. Treatment started 7 days postinoculation and lasted 7 days. Positive cultures were screened for the emergence of mutant strains, defined as having 3-fold-increased MICs. Although in vivo mean log10 CFU/g of daptomycin-treated (4.23 ± 1.44; n = 12) or vancomycin-treated (4.63 ± 1.08; n = 12) crushed bone was significantly lower than that of controls (5.93 ± 1.15; n = 9) (P < 0.01), neither treatment sterilized bone (2/12 and 0/12 rabbits with sterile bone, respectively). Daptomycin mutant strains were found in 6/12, 3/12, and 2/9 daptomycin-treated, vancomycin-treated, and control rabbits, respectively; no resistant strains emerged (MIC was always <1 mg/liter). Adjunctive rifampin with daptomycin (1.47 ± 0.04 CFU/g of bone [detection threshold]; 11/11 sterile bones) or vancomycin (1.5 ± 0.12 CFU/g of bone; 6/8 sterile bones) was significantly more effective than monotherapy (P < 0.01) and prevented the emergence of daptomycin mutant strains. In this MRSA joint prosthesis infection model, combining rifampin with daptomycin was highly effective. Daptomycin mutant strains were isolated in vivo even without treatment, but adjunctive rifampin prevented this phenomenon, previously found after monotherapy in humans.

Daptomycin or teicoplanin in combination with gentamicin for treatment of experimental endocarditis due to a highly glycopeptide-resistant isolate of Enterococcus faecium.

Using an experimental endocarditis model, we studied the activity of daptomycin used alone or in combination with gentamicin against an Enterococcus faecium strain that was highly resistant to glycopeptides and susceptible to gentamicin. In vitro, the MIC of daptomycin was 1 micrograms/ml. In vivo, daptomycin appeared to be effective only when it was used in a high-dose regimen, i.e., 12 mg/kg of body weight every 8 h (-2.5 log10 CFU/g versus controls; P < 0.05), particularly when it was combined with gentamicin (-5.0 log10 CFU/g versus controls; P < 0.01). Since the distribution of daptomycin into cardiac vegetations, as evaluated by autoradiography, appeared to be homogeneous, the poor in vivo activity of daptomycin was considered to be related to its high degree of protein binding, as suggested by killing curves studies. Since the MIC of teicoplanin for the vancomycin-resistant E. faecium strain used in the study was only 64 micrograms/ml and since an in vitro synergy between teicoplanin at high dose and gentamicin was observed, a high-dose regimen of teicoplanin, i.e., 40 mg/kg every 12 h, was also assessed in vivo. This treatment provided marginal activity only when it was combined with gentamicin (-2.3 log10 CFU/g versus controls; P < 0.05). These results suggest that the levels of daptomycin or teicoplanin in serum required to cure experimental endocarditis caused by a highly glycopeptide-resistant strain of E. faecium would not be achievable in humans. Images

Activity of LY333328 Combined with Gentamicin In Vitro and in Rabbit Experimental Endocarditis Due to Vancomycin-Susceptible or -Resistant Enterococcus faecalis

ABSTRACT We investigated the activity of LY333328 alone and combined with gentamicin, both in vitro and in a rabbit model of experimental endocarditis, against the susceptible strain Enterococcus faecalis JH2-2 and its two glycopeptide-resistant transconjugants, BM4316 (VanA) and BM4275 (VanB). MICs of LY333328 and gentamicin were 2 and 16 μg/ml, respectively, for the three strains. In vitro, LY333328 alone was bactericidal at 24 h against JH2-2 at a concentration of 2 μg/ml and against BM4316 and BM4275 at a concentration of 30 μg/ml. The combination of LY333328 and gentamicin (4 μg/ml) was synergistic and bactericidal after 24 h of incubation against the three strains at LY333328 concentrations of 2 μg/ml for JH2-2 and 8 μg/ml for BM4275 and BM4316. The combination of LY333328 and gentamicin was the only regimen demonstrating in vitro bactericidal activity against BM4316. In vivo, intravenous treatment with LY333328 alone, providing peak and trough serum levels of 83.3 ± 1.3 and 3.8 ± 0.2 μg/ml, respectively, was inactive against BM4316 and BM4275 and selected mutants resistant to LY333328 in half of the rabbits infected with the VanA-type strain (MICs, 8 to 20 μg/ml). However, the LY333328-gentamicin combination was active against the three strains and prevented the emergence of mutants resistant to both components of the combination. We conclude that the LY333328-gentamicin combination might be of interest for the treatment of enterococcal infections, particularly against VanA-type strains.

Emergence of daptomycin resistance in daptomycin-naïve rabbits with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus prosthetic joint infection is associated with resistance to host defense cationic peptides and mprF polymorphisms.

Background Previous studies of both clinically-derived and in vitro passage-derived daptomycin–resistant (DAP-R) Staphylococcus aureus strains demonstrated the coincident emergence of increased DAP MICs and resistance to host defense cationic peptides (HDP-R). Methods In the present investigation, we studied a parental DAP-susceptible (DAP-S) methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strain and three isogenic variants with increased DAP MICs which were isolated from both DAP-treated and DAP-untreated rabbits with prosthetic joint infections. These strains were compared for: in vitro susceptibility to distinct HDPs differing in size, structure, and origin; i.e.; thrombin-induced platelet microbicidal proteins [tPMPs] and human neutrophil peptide-1 [hNP-1]; cell membrane (CM) phospholipid and fatty acid content; CM order; envelope surface charge; cell wall thickness; and mprF single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and expression profiles. Results In comparison with the parental strain, both DAP-exposed and DAP-naive strains exhibited: (i) significantly reduced susceptibility to each HDP (P<0.05); (ii) thicker cell walls (P<0.05); (iii) increased synthesis of CM lysyl-phosphatidylglycerol (L-PG); (iv) reduced content of CM phosphatidylglycerol (PG); and (v) SNPs within the mprF locus No significant differences were observed between parental or variant strains in outer CM content of L-PG, CM fluidity, CM fatty acid contents, surface charge, mprF expression profiles or MprF protein content. An isolate which underwent identical in vivo passage, but without evolving increased DAP MICs, retained parental phenotypes and genotype. Conclusions These results suggest: i) DAP MIC increases may occur in the absence of DAP exposures in vivo and may be triggered by organism exposure to endogenous HDPs: and ii) gain-in-function SNPs in mprF may contribute to such HDP-DAP cross-resistance phenotypes, although the mechanism of this relationship remains to be defined.

Optimal aminoglycoside dosing regimen for penicillin-tobramycin synergism in experimental Streptococcus adjacens endocarditis.

The combination of penicillin and aminoglycoside is the recommended therapy for endocarditis caused by nutritionally variant streptococci (NVS). However, the optimal aminoglycoside dosing regimen remains controversial. We compared the efficacies of four regimens of tobramycin alone or combined with procaine penicillin in the therapy of rabbits with endocarditis caused by Streptococcus adjacens, a new species of NVS. Animals were injected intramuscularly for 4 days with procaine penicillin (150,000 U/kg of body weight twice daily) or tobramycin at a low dose (3 mg/kg every 24 h) or a high dose (12 mg/kg every 24 h) either once or three times daily (t.i.d.) alone or in combination with procaine penicillin. Additional groups of animals were treated with the combination regimens for a shorter period of time (2 days) in order to demonstrate a possible difference in the rapidity of efficacy between the regimens. The MICs and MBCs were 0.015 and 1 micrograms/ml and 8 and 16 micrograms/ml for penicillin and tobramycin, respectively. The mean peak tobramycin levels in plasma were 2.4 +/- 1.3 (1 mg/kg t.i.d.), 5.4 +/- 3.7 (4 mg/kg t.i.d.), and 25 +/- 9.3 (12 mg/kg once daily). The mean penicillin levels in serum were always above the MIC. In vitro kill curves plotted at the time that peak concentrations were reached in plasma showed a concentration-dependent killing effect of tobramycin alone but not in combination with penicillin. In vivo, low-dose tobramycin was significantly less effective than the high dose. Results for the combinations of the different dosing regimens of tobramycin with procaine penicillin were not significantly different. Our results suggest that (i) against susceptible strains of streptococci, aminoglycoside alone exhibits a concentration-dependent killing effect both in vitro and in vivo; (ii) against NVS strains, combinations of penicillin and high- or low-dose tobramycin are equally effective; and (iii) aminoglycoside given once daily or at a low dose t.i.d. with penicillin could be a cost-effective alternative with reduced toxic risk for patients with NVS endocarditis when the bacteria are susceptible to the killing activities of both compounds.

Teicoplanin-Containing Cement Spacers for Treatment of Experimental Staphylococcus aureus Joint Prosthesis Infection

ABSTRACT Using a rabbit model of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus knee-prosthesis infection, we studied the efficacy of teicoplanin cement alone or in combination with systemic intramuscular (i.m.) injections of teicoplanin. Seven days after infection, surgical debridement and removal of the infected prostheses were performed, and five rabbits were randomly assigned to one of five different treatment groups: untreated controls, prosthesis replacement by drug-free cement spacer, prosthesis replacement by teicoplanin-loaded cement spacer (1.2 g of teicoplanin/40 g of cement), i.m. injections of teicoplanin (20 mg/kg of body weight, twice a day for 7 days), or systemic antibiotic treatment combined with teicoplanin-loaded spacers. The most effective regimen combined systemic teicoplanin and antibiotic spacers.

α-Hemolysin, Not Panton-Valentine Leukocidin, Impacts Rabbit Mortality from Severe Sepsis With Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Osteomyelitis

BACKGROUND Severe sepsis, combining acute osteomyelitis and lung involvement, has been described increasingly in healthy children with the spread of community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA). METHODS Outcomes (mortality, hematogenous spread, lung and bone involvements) of rabbit osteomyelitis caused by CA-MRSA LAC(WT) USA300 and its Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL)- and α-hemolysin (Hla)-negative isogenic derivatives (LACΔpvl and LACΔhla, respectively) were compared. RESULTS Three days after inoculation (D3), all LAC(WT)- and LACΔpvl-, and 72% of LACΔhla-infected rabbits had no hematogenous spread and similar lung and bone bacterial densities. LACΔpvl and LACΔhla caused less severe histological lung lesions than LAC(WT) (P ≤ .01). Between D3 and D9, 10 (53%) LAC(WT)-, 11 (55%) LACΔpvl-, but no LACΔhla-infected rabbits (P < .005) died of severe sepsis with disseminated infection. Unlike deceased animals, most LAC(WT), LACΔpvl, and LACΔhla D14 survivors had no hematogenous spread (P < .001). LAC(WT) (88%) caused more bone abscesses than LACΔpvl (0, P = .001) or LACΔhla (30%, P = .01). CONCLUSION In this model, both PVL and Hla seemed to be required for early lung involvement via hematogenous spread. Hla, but not PVL, significantly impacted severe sepsis-related mortality. PVL was the predominant factor determining late-stage bone abscesses.

Efficacy of temafloxacin in experimental Streptococcus adjacens endocarditis and autoradiographic diffusion pattern of [14C]temafloxacin in cardiac vegetations.

Temafloxacin, a new fluoroquinolone, alone or in combination with tobramycin, was compared with penicillin, tobramycin, and their combination in the therapy of rabbits with endocarditis caused by Streptococcus adjacens GaDT, a new species of nutritionally variant streptococci. Animals were injected intramuscularly for 4 days with temafloxacin (50 mg/kg of body weight twice daily [b.i.d.]) alone or combined with tobramycin (12 mg/kg once daily), with procaine penicillin (150,000 U/kg b.i.d.) alone or combined with tobramycin (12 mg/kg once daily), or with tobramycin (12 mg/kg once daily) alone. Another group of animals was treated with a higher dose of temafloxacin (100 mg/kg b.i.d.). Temafloxacin, penicillin, and tobramycin MICs and MBCs were 1 and 2, 0.015 and 1, and 8 and 16 micrograms/ml, respectively. Time-kill curves showed that the addition of tobramycin to penicillin or temafloxacin increased the killing rate. In vivo, treatment with temafloxacin (50 and 100 mg/kg b.i.d.) alone reduced the bacterial counts in vegetations (3.9 +/- 0.9 and 3.1 +/- 0.8 log10 CFU/g of vegetation) compared with those in the vegetations of control animals (7.5 +/- 0.9 log10 CFU/g of vegetation). This result was similar to that obtained with penicillin alone (4.5 +/- 0.8 log10 CFU/g of vegetation). The combination of temafloxacin (50 mg/kg) and tobramycin was as effective as penicillin plus tobramycin (2.5 +/- 0.3 versus 2.3 +/- 0.4 log10 CFU/g of vegetation, respectively). The autoradiographic pattern of [14C]temafloxacin diffusion into infected cardiac vegetations was studied. Thirty minutes after the end of infusion of 250 microCi of [14C]temafloxacin, the [14C]temafloxacin was homogeneously distributed throughout the vegetations. These data support further evaluation of quinolones in experimental endocarditis. Images