In vitro susceptibility of porcine respiratory pathogens to tilmicosin.

Bacterial isolates obtained from swine with various clinical diseases were tested for susceptibility to tilmicosin by minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion tests using National Committee on Clinical Laboratory Standards methodology. The tilmicosin MIC90 was < or =0.125 microg/ml for Erysiopelothrix rhusiopathiae, < or = 1 microg/ml for Haemophilus parasuis isolates, 8 microg/ml for Actinobacillus suis and Pasteurella multocida type A, 16 microg/ml for toxigenic and nontoxigenic P. multocida type D, 64 microg/ml for Bordetella bronchiseptica, and >128 microg/ml for Staphylococcus hyicus and Streptococcus suis. The results of disk diffusion testing matched well with the MIC results for each pathogen. This in vitro survey of tilmicosin activity against various swine isolates suggests that further clinical evaluation of tilmicosin in swine may be warranted for disease associated with E. rhusiopathiae, H. parasuis, and A. suis but not B. bronchiseptica, S. suis, or S. hyicus.     

Antibiotic susceptibility of bacteria isolated from respiratory tract of pigs in Poland between 2004 and 2008

Antibiotic susceptibility of bacteria isolated from nasal swabs and lungs of pigs, to 16 commonly used antibiotics, was determined by disc diffusion test. beta-lactams showed the best activity against Streptococcus suis (S. suis) (> 99% of susceptible strains). The lowest sensitivity of S. suis was evidenced to: tylosin, tetracycline and neomycin (50%, 40% and 25%, respectively). Isolates of Escherichia coli (E. coli) demonstrated the highest susceptibility to cephalosporin (85% strains), gentamicin and norfloxacin (over 74%). The lowest susceptibility of E. coli was demonstrated to tiamulin and penicillin (11.3% and 1.9%, respectively). Over 80% of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae (App) strains were susceptible to all antibiotics tested. The highest resistance of App, but demonstrated by below 20% of tested isolates only, was evidenced to neomycin and LxS. Isolates of Pasteurella multocida (Pm), Haemophilus parasuis (Hps) and Arcanobacterium pyogenes (A. pyogenes) were highly susceptible to the most antibiotics included in the analysis. The comparison of the in vitro susceptibility of pathogens to the chemotherapeutics used on Polish farms for the therapy of bacterial infection of pigs within the last five years and the last 10 years, showed an increasing percent of E. coli and S. suis strains resistant to commonly used antibiotics. It is also shown that Pm, Hps, App and A. pyogenes isolates were continuously susceptible to the most chemotherapeutics applied.     

猪链球菌Ⅱ型四川分离株对抗菌药的敏感性分析

对四川省不同地区链球菌病病死猪体内分离的7株链球菌Ⅱ型进行抗菌药敏感性试验,用链球菌兰氏D群C55914作为对照,比对菌为肺炎链球菌质控菌株ATCC49619.在32种抗菌药中,选择29种药物进行纸片法药敏试验.试验结果表明:7株链球菌耐药谱非常相似,对青霉素、氨苄西林、阿莫西林、奥格门丁、卡那霉素、红霉素、壮观霉素、氯霉素、氟苯尼考、头孢氨苄、头孢拉定、头孢他定、头孢呋辛、头孢曲松、环丙沙星、氧氟沙星、二氟沙星、沙拉沙星、达氟沙星、恩诺沙星、复方新诺明、万古霉素、亚安培南均敏感;对阿米卡星、新霉素、庆大霉素3株敏感,4株中敏;对四环素和多西环素2株中敏,5株耐药;对链霉素1株中敏,6株耐药.用21种药物进行最小抑菌浓度(MIC)测定,结果7株均对青霉素、氨苄西林、卡那霉素、红霉素、头孢他定、头孢呋辛、头孢曲松、头孢噻呋、环丙沙星、达氟沙星、氧氟沙星、二氟沙星、沙拉沙星、恩诺沙星、磺胺六甲氧嘧啶敏感,1株对新霉素和阿米卡星中敏,2株耐药;所有菌株对四环素、土霉素、多西环素、链霉素均耐药.两种方法总体结果一致.     

Comparative quantification of the in vitro activity of veterinary fluoroquinolones

The aim of this study was to compare the in vitro antimicrobial activity of the veterinary fluoroquinolones against a panel of recently isolated porcine and bovine bacterial pathogens. The study used enrofloxacin as a benchmark against which other agents were compared, being the most common fluoroquinolone used in treatment of bovine and porcine infections. The activity of ciprofloxacin was also assessed as it is the main metabolite of enrofloxacin in cattle. Enrofloxacin and ciprofloxacin generally showed higher antibacterial activity, in terms of MIC(50) values, for most pathogen species when compared with marbofloxacin, difloxacin, danofloxacin and norfloxacin. Ciprofloxacin showed significantly greater in vitro antibacterial activity than enrofloxacin against M. haemolytica, P. multocida and E. coli, whereas enrofloxacin showed greater activity than ciprofloxacin against S. aureus. Marbofloxacin was significantly more active than enrofloxacin against M. haemolytica, E. coli and B. bronchiseptica but less active against P. multocida, S. aureus, coagulase negative Staphylococci, S. dysgalactiae, S. uberis, A. pleuropneumoniae and S. suis. Danofloxacin was significantly less active than enrofloxacin against P. multocida, E. coli, S. uberis, A. pleuropneumoniae and S. suis. Enrofloxacin and its metabolite ciprofloxacin showed the highest in vitro activities against most bovine pathogens tested and the porcine pathogens also showed a high degree of sensitivity to enrofloxacin. These data facilitate further pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic comparison of fluoroquinolones currently used in veterinary medicine.     

In vitro antimicrobial activity of sulfonamides against some porcine pathogens

The minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of sulfonamides were determined against Bordetella bronchiseptica (n = 10), Pasteurella multocida (n = 10), Haemophilus pleuropneumoniae (n = 20), and Streptococcus suis (n = 10) strains isolated from pigs with atrophic rhinitis, pneumonia, or meningitis. Sulfonamides tested in an agar dilution method were sulfachloropyridazine, sulfadiazine, sulfadimethoxine, sulfamethazine, sulfadoxine, sulfisoxazole, sulfamerazine, sulfamethoxazole, sulfamethoxypyridazine, sulfanilamide, sulfatroxazole, and sulfisomidine. Results indicated that monotherapy of S suis infections with sulfonamides should not be encouraged because the MIC50 of all sulfonamides investigated was greater than 32 micrograms/ml. The MIC50 of the sulfonamides against B bronchiseptica ranged from 0.5 to 8 micrograms/ml, against P multocida from 2 to 32 micrograms/ml, and against H pleuropneumoniae from 8 to 64 micrograms/ml. The MIC50 of sulfachloropyridazine, sulfadiazine, sulfadimethoxine, sulfamerazine, and sulfamethoxazole for the gram-negative bacteria did not exceed 16 micrograms/ml. Among these compounds, sulfamethoxazole had the highest activity. The frequently prescribed sulfamethazine had an overall low antimicrobial activity.     

猪胸膜肺炎放线杆菌、多杀性巴氏杆菌和副猪嗜血杆菌复合PCR检测方法的建立

目的建立可以同时检测猪胸膜肺炎放线杆菌、多杀性巴氏杆菌和副猪嗜血杆菌的快速而可靠的PCR检测方法。方法和结果根据胸膜肺炎放线杆菌的Apx-VIA基因序列、多杀性巴氏杆菌和副猪嗜血杆菌的16SrRNA基因序列设计5条引物。猪胸膜肺炎放线杆菌、多杀性巴氏杆菌和副猪嗜血杆菌模板的PCR扩增产物大小分别为342bp,485bp和1258bp。复合PCR对1～12型猪胸膜肺炎放线杆菌标准株,6株多杀性巴氏杆菌标准株,1～15型副猪嗜血杆菌以及25株经生化鉴定确认为上述三种细菌的分离株的基因组DNA作为模板进行检测,均获得预期大小的扩增产物。以猪放线杆菌、吲哚放线杆菌等14种常见细菌作为阴性对照进行PCR检测,结果仅有支气管败血波氏杆菌产生了可以和上述三个特异性条带明显区分的PCR产物。复合PCR针对胸膜肺炎放线杆菌、多杀性巴氏杆菌和副猪嗜血杆菌的敏感性分别为14pg、34pg和37pg。结论本研究建立的复合PCR特异性好,敏感性高,可以用于猪胸膜肺炎放线杆菌、多杀性巴氏杆菌和副猪嗜血杆菌的快速检测。     

Cefadroxil in the horse: pharmacokinetics and in vitro antibacterial activity

Sodium cefadroxil was administered as a single intravenous dose (25 mg/kg) to six healthy adult mares. Plasma samples were collected over a 24-h period and cefadroxil concentrations were measured by microbiological assay. The pharmacokinetic behavior of the drug was appropriately described in terms of a one-compartment open model. Values for the major pharmacokinetic terms were: extrapolated initial plasma concentration = 59.2 +/- 15.0 micrograms/ml; half-life = 46 +/- 20 min; apparent volume of distribution = 462 +/- 191 ml/kg; and body clearance = 7.0 +/- 0.6 ml/min.kg. In a subsequent study, a suspension of cefadroxil monohydrate was administered intragastrically (25 mg/kg) to the same six horses. Plasma concentrations of the drug peaked at 1-2 h but, in general, absorption was both poor and inconsistent. The data were unsuitable for determination of cefadroxil bioavailability from this oral dosage form. Ninety-nine isolates of eleven bacterial species obtained from clinically ill horses were tested for susceptibility to cefadroxil. All strains of Streptococcus equi, Streptococcus zooepidemicus, coagulase-positive staphylococci, Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis and five out of six strains of Actinobacillus suis were highly susceptible to the drug (MIC less than 4 micrograms/ml). Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Salmonella sp. showed intermediate susceptibility (MIC 4-16 micrograms/ml), while all isolates of Corynebacterium (Rhodococcus) equi, Enterobacter cloacae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa proved to be highly resistant to cefadroxil (MIC greater than 128 micrograms/ml).     

头孢喹诺对几种常见动物病原菌的体外抗菌作用

采用微量肉汤稀释法测定国产头孢喹诺对5种常见动物病原菌的最小抑菌浓度(MIC),并与头孢噻呋、氨苄西林及环丙沙星进行比较。结果显示头孢喹诺对金黄色葡萄球菌的MIC为1~2μg/mL,抗菌活性强于其他3种药物;对大肠杆菌的MIC≤0.031~0.25μg/mL,抗菌活性与环丙沙星相近,高于头孢噻呋和氨苄西林;对链球菌的MIC≤0.031~1μg/mL,抗菌活性与头孢噻呋和氨苄西林相近,高于环丙沙星;对多杀性巴氏杆菌以及胸膜肺炎放线杆菌的MIC分别≤0.031~0.5μg/mL和≤0.031μg/mL,抗菌活性与头孢噻呋和环丙沙星相近,强于氨苄西林。结果表明头孢喹诺对革兰氏阳性和阴性菌均具有强大的体外抗菌作用。     

马波沙星对猪临床分离病原菌的体外抑菌活性研究

考察马波沙星对猪临床分离病原菌的体外抑菌活性,以期为临床应用提供依据。采用琼脂二倍稀释法测定马波沙星对猪临床分离大肠杆菌、金黄色葡萄球菌和链球菌的最小抑菌浓度(MIC),并以土霉素、恩诺沙星、诺氟沙星、环丙沙星、庆大霉素和多西环素作为对照药物。结果表明:马波沙星对猪临床分离病原菌大肠杆菌、金黄色葡萄球菌和链球菌均有较低的最小抑菌浓度,对临床分离大肠杆菌、金黄色葡萄球菌和链球菌的抑菌活性明显高于诺氟沙星、环丙沙星、庆大霉素和强力霉素,对临床分离大肠杆菌的抑菌活性高于恩诺沙星。马波沙星对引起猪乳房炎-子宫炎-无乳综合征(MMA)的主要病原菌的抑菌活性优于常用抗菌药。     

产毒素多杀性巴氏杆菌菌落双重PCR检测方法的建立

为建立快速特异的PCR方法以及同时检测并区分产毒素与非产毒素多杀性巴氏杆菌,本研究根据GenBank登录的多杀性巴氏杆菌KMT1基因和toxA毒素基因序列,设计合成了2对特异引物。特异性试验表明产毒素多杀性巴氏杆菌C51-6扩增出了460bp和1854bp的2条目的片段,而不产毒素多杀性巴氏杆菌、大肠埃希菌、胸膜肺炎放线杆菌、猪链球菌、支气管败血波氏杆菌、副猪嗜血杆菌和鸡白痢沙门菌的扩增均为阴性;敏感性试验表明该PCR方法能从含450CFU的菌液中扩增出相应的目的片段。同时用豚鼠皮肤坏死试验和小鼠致死试验对该PCR方法进行了验证。     

某养鸡场禽霍乱分离菌对常用抗菌药物的敏感性研究

从六安地区某养鸡场禽霍乱病鸡上分离到1株禽多杀性巴氏杆菌,采用纸片扩散法和试管稀释法分别测定了青霉素钾、土霉素、硫酸卡那霉素、硫酸庆大霉素、硫酸链霉素、复方新诺明、甲砜霉素、氟哌酸、环丙沙星和恩诺沙星等10种药物对分离菌的体外抗菌活性。结果表明分离到的禽多杀性巴氏杆菌对青霉素钾和土霉素耐药;对硫酸卡那霉素、硫酸庆大霉素、硫酸链霉素、甲砜霉素、氟哌酸敏感;对复方新诺明、环丙沙星和恩诺沙星极敏感。两种测定方法得到的结果一致。因此复方新诺敏、环丙沙星和恩诺沙星可作为目前该发病场防治禽霍乱的首选药物。     

Prevalence of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae, Actinobacillus suis, Haemophilus parasuis, Pasteurella multocida, and Streptococcus suis in representative Ontario swine herds

Tonsillar and nasal swabs were collected from weanling pigs in 50 representative Ontario swine herds and tested for the presence of 5 important bacterial upper respiratory tract pathogens. All but 1 herd (2%) tested positive for Streptococcus suis by polymerase chain reaction (PCR); 48% of herds were S. suis serovar 2, 1/2 positive. In all but 2 herds there was evidence of Haemophilus parasuis infection. In contrast, toxigenic strains of Pasteurella multocida were detected by a P. multocida--enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay (PMT-ELISA) in only one herd. Seventy-eight percent of the herds were diagnosed positive for Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae by apxIV PCR. Sera from finishing pigs on the same farms were also collected and tested by ELISA for the presence of A. pleuropneumoniae antibodies. Seventy percent of the herds tested had evidence of antibodies to A. pleuropneumoniae including serovars 1-9-11 (2%), 2 (4%), 3-6-8-15 (15%), 5 (6%), 4-7 (26%), and 12 (17%). This likely represents a shift from previous years when infection with A. pleuropneumoniae serovars 1, 5, and 7 predominated. At least 16% and possibly as many as 94% of the herds tested were Actinobacillus suis positive; only 3 of the 50 herds were both A. pleuropneumoniae and A. suis negative as judged by the absence of a positive PCR test for apxII. Taken together, these data suggest that over the past 10 years, there has been a shift in the presence of pathogenic bacteria carried by healthy Ontario swine with the virtual elimination of toxigenic strains of P. multocida and a move to less virulent A. pleuropneumoniae serovars. As well, there appears to be an increase in prevalence of S. suis serovar 2, 1/2, but this may be a reflection of the use of a more sensitive detection method.     

Minimum inhibitory concentrations of tulathromycin against respiratory bacterial pathogens isolated from clinical cases in European cattle and swine and variability arising from changes in in vitro methodology

The in vitro activity of tulathromycin was evaluated against common bovine and porcine respiratory pathogens collected from outbreaks of clinical disease across eight European countries from 1998 to 2001. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) for one isolate of each bacterial species from each outbreak were determined using a broth microdilution technique. The lowest concentrations inhibiting the growth of 90% of isolates (MIC90) for tulathromycin were 2 microg/ml for Mannheimia (Pasteurella) haemolytica, 1 microg/ml for Pasteurella multocida (bovine), and 2 microg/ml for Pasteurella multocida (porcine) and ranged from 0.5 to 4 microg/ml for Histophilus somni (Haemophilus somnus) and from 4 to 16 microg/ml for Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae. Isolates were retested in the presence of serum. The activity of tulathromycin against fastidious organisms was affected by culture conditions, and MICs were reduced in the presence of serum.     

Streptococcus suis infection in swine. A sixteen month study.

A total of 349 isolates of Streptococcus suis retrieved from different tissues from diseased pigs were examined in this study. Only 48% of them could be categorized as one of serotypes 1 to 8 and 1/2. Among typable isolates, serotype 2 was the most prevalent (23%), followed by serotype 3 (10%). The majority of all isolates originated from lungs, meninges/brain, and multiple tissues. Forty-one percent of typable isolates and 33% of untypable isolates were retrieved in pure culture. Other isolates were found in conjunction with Pasteurella multocida, Escherichia coli, Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae, Actinomyces pyogenes, and other streptococci. Typable S. suis isolates were more frequently isolated from pigs between five and ten weeks of age, while untypable isolates were mostly found in animals aged more than 24 weeks. No obvious monthly and/or seasonal variation of the prevalence of isolation of S. suis could be detected.     

快速鉴定猪链球菌和马链球菌兽疫亚种双重PCR方法的建立

本试验旨在建立一种快速、特异、敏感的双重PCR鉴定猪链球菌和马链球菌兽疫亚种病原检测方法。根据猪链球菌GDH蛋白和马链球菌类 M 蛋白的基因保守区分别设计引物,优化了该双重PCR检测方法的引物浓度及比例,并筛选了其最佳退火温度;用该双重PCR反应体系以其他几株阴性菌株为对照,检测了该反应体系的特异性。以新鲜培养的猪链球菌倍比稀释后进行菌落计数,对该检测方法的敏感性进行了鉴定。M-like和GDH引物的加入量均为1 μL(20 pmol/L),最佳退火温度为52.3℃;该双重PCR反应体系有较高敏感性,检测马链球菌兽疫亚种和猪链球菌的敏感度分别达100和10 CFU;特异性试验结果显示,常见的5种病原菌在该双重PCR体系中无特异性条带出现;临床应用该方法分离鉴定了1株猪链球菌和2株马链球菌兽疫亚种。本试验建立了一种能同时检测猪链球菌和马链球菌兽疫亚种的双重PCR方法,且该方法应用快速、特异且敏感。     

An evaluation of the API ZYM system as a means of identifying Haemophilus somnus and related taxa.

The commercially available API ZYM microbiological identification system was evaluated for the rapid identification of Haemophilus somnus. Eighty-seven isolates of the organism had API ZYM profiles which were characteristic. The API ZYM profiles demonstrate clear differences between H. somnus and other genera but suggest a close association to three related organisms. Enzyme activity of H. somnus isolates were similar to organisms identified as Histophilus ovis, Haemophilus agni and strains UQV of Actinobacillus actinoides and Actinobacillus seminis but was clearly different from isolates of Pasteurella haemolytica, Pasteurella multocida, Bordetella bronchiseptica and group EF4. The API ZYM system allowed more rapid identification of H. somnus than conventional biochemical tests and may be a useful adjunct to conventional methods used for identification of H. somnus isolates. The test did not reveal obvious differences between isolates from various anatomic locations.     

Comparison of pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic indices of efficacy for 5 fluoroquinolones toward pathogens of dogs and cats

BACKGROUND: Fluoroquinolones are often used interchangeably in dogs and cats. HYPOTHESIS: Predicted therapeutic efficacy differs among fluoroquinolones. ANIMALS: Bacterial pathogens isolated from dogs and cats. METHODS: Using microtube-dilution procedures, percent resistance and 2 pharmacodynamic/pharmacokinetic indices (maximum concentration/minimum inhibitory concentration [Cmax/MIC] [target 0.10] and area under curve/minimum inhibitory concentration [AUC/MIC] [target 0.125]) were compared prospectively at low and high doses (mg/kg) for ciprofloxacin (5 and 20), difloxacin (5 and 10), enrofloxacin (including enrofloxacin+ciprofloxacin) (5 and 20), marbofloxacin (2.5 and 5), and orbifloxacin (2.5 and 7.5). Indices were calculated for organisms represented by < or = 15 isolates. RESULTS: Percent resistance for all Gram-negative (n = 180; 20+/-3%; 39+/-5% for Escherichia coli) and Gram-positive isolates (n = 66; 18+/-3%) did not differ among drugs or organisms. The pattern of Cmax/MIC was generally enrofloxacin+ciprofloxacin > or = enrofloxacin or ciprofloxacin > or = marbofloxacin > or = orbifloxacin > or = difloxacin; and for AUIC/ MIC, enrofloxacin+ciprofloxacin > or = marbofloxacin > or = ciprofloxacin > or = enrofloxacin > difloxacin > orbifloxacin. Among susceptible Gram-negative isolates studied (n = 117), targeted Cmax/MIC or AUC/MIC were achieved in 88% of E. coli, 53% of Proteus mirabilis, and 35% of Pseudomonas aeruginosa; and for susceptible Gram-positive isolates studied (n = 49), 53% of Streptotoccus spp. and Staphylococcus intermedius and 27% of Staphylococcus spp. At the high dose, the proportion of isolates for which a target was reached was: ciprofloxacin, enrofloxacin+ciprofloaxin, and marbofloxacin (77%), enrofloxacin (73%), orbifloxacin (51%), and difloxacin (40%); and at the low dose, enrofloxacin+ciprofloxacin and enrofloxacin (43%), ciprofloxacin (40%), marbofloxacin (39%), orbifloxacin (29%), and difloxacin (28%). CONCLUSIONS: E. coli resistance to fluoroquinolones approximated 40%. For susceptible isolates, enrofloxacin, marbofloxacin, and ciprofloxacin more consistently reached indices associated with predicted efficacy, but only at the high dose.     

喹诺酮类药物对嗜水气单胞菌体外生物被膜形成能力的影响

采用微量肉汤稀释法测定3种喹诺酮类药物对21株嗜水气单胞菌的最小抑菌浓度(MIC),体外建立其生物被膜(BF),采用结晶紫法和扫描电镜的方法研究生物被膜的形成和结构,并观察喹诺酮类药物对生物被膜形成能力的影响。结果表明:喹诺酮类药物对嗜水气单胞菌有较强的抑制作用,诺氟沙星、环丙沙星、恩诺沙星的抑菌率分别为90.5%,95.25%和85.7%,其中环丙沙星的抑菌作用最强,对21株菌的最小抑菌浓度均在0.7813μg/mL以下。21株嗜水气单胞菌均可在24～48 h内体外形成较为稳定的BF,但不同菌株之间形成BF的能力有所不同。嗜水气单胞菌对喹诺酮类药物较为敏感,环丙沙星浓度在1倍MIC以上即可抑制嗜水气单胞菌生物被膜的早期形成,但细菌形成成熟的生物被膜后,较高浓度药物对生物被膜的影响不明显。     

Apx toxins in Pasteurellaceae species from animals

Pasteurellaceae species particularly of porcine origin which are closely related to Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae were analyzed for the presence of analogues to the major A. pleuropneumoniae RTX toxin genes, apxICABD, apxIICA and apxIIICABD and for their expression. Actinobacillus suis contains both apxICABD(var.suis) and apxIICA(var. suis) operons and was shown to produce ApxI and ApxII toxin. Actinobacillus rossii contained the operons apxIICA(var.rossii) and apxIIICABD(var.rossii). However, only the toxin ApxII and not ApxIII could be detected in cultures of A. rossii. The Apx toxins found in A. suis and A. rossi may play a role in virulence of these pathogens. Actinobacillus lignieresii, which was included since it is phylogenetically very closely related to A. pleuropneumoniae, was found to contain a full apxICABD(var.lign.) operon which however lacks the -35 and -10 boxes in the promoter sequences. As expected from these results, no expression of ApxI was detected in A. lignieresii grown under standard culture conditions. Actinobacillus seminis, Actinobacillus equuli, Pasteurella aerogenes, Pasteurella multocida, Haemophilus parasuis, and also Mannheimia (Pasteurella) haemolytica, which is known to secrete leukotoxin, were all shown to be devoid of any of the apx toxin genes and did not produce ApxI, ApxII or ApxIII toxin proteins. However, proteins of slightly lower molecular mass than ApxI, ApxII and ApxIII which showed limited cross-reactions with monospecific, polyclonal anti-ApxI, anti-ApxII and anti-ApxIII were detected on immunoblot analysis of A. equuli, A. seminis and P. aerogenes. The presence of Apx toxins and proteins that imunologically cross react with Apx toxins in porcine Actinobacillus species other than A. pleuropneumoniae can be expected to interfere with serodiagnosis of porcine pleuropneumonia.     

In vitro activity of difloxacin against canine bacterial isolates.

The in vitro activity of difloxacin against canine bacterial isolates from clinical cases was studied in the United States and The Netherlands. Minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC), the postantibiotic effect, the effect of pH on antimicrobial activity, and the bacterial killing rate tests were determined according to standard techniques. The MICs of American and Dutch isolates agreed in general. The MICs of the American gram-negative isolates ranged from 0.06 to 2.0 microg/ml, and the MICs of the Dutch gram-negative isolates ranged from 0.016 to 8.0 microg/ml. A few European strains of Proteus mirabilis and Klebsiella pneumoniae had relatively high MICs. Bordetella bronchiseptica also was less susceptible to difloxacin. The MICs of the American gram-positive cocci ranged from 0.125 to 4.0 microg/ml, and the MICs of Dutch isolates ranged from 0.125 to 2.0 microg/ ml. Difloxacin induced a concentration-dependent postantibiotic effect that lasted 0.2-3 hours in cultures with Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus intermedius, Streptococcus canis, Proteus spp., and Klebsiella pneumoniae. There was no postantibiotic effect observed against canine Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Decreasing the pH of the medium increased the MIC of Proteus mirabilis for difloxacin. The MICs of Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae were lowest at neutral pH and were slightly increased in acid or alkaline media. At a neutral pH, most tested bacterial species were killed at a difloxacin concentration of 4 times the MIC. Similar results were obtained when these same bacteria were tested against enrofloxacin. A Klebsiella pneumoniae strain in an acidic environment was readily killed at difloxacin or enrofloxacin MIC, but at neutral pH the drug concentration had to be raised to 4 times the MIC for a bactericidal effect. After 24 hours of incubation at pH 7.1, difloxacin and enrofloxacin had similar bactericidal activity for all bacteria tested except Staphylococcus intermedius. Against S. intermedius, difloxacin was more bactericidal than enrofloxacin.