Pradofloxacin treatment for infection in cats

Abstract

is associated with numerous clinical syndromes in people. Cats are the definitive hosts for, develop high levels of bacteremia, and are associated with human infections, particularly in the presence of. Several antibiotic protocols used for the treatment ofinfection in cats have failed to clear bacteremia. The purpose of this study was to assess the safety and efficacy of a high-dose pradofloxacin protocol to eliminatebacteremia.infection was initiated in 8 cats by intravenous inoculation of infected feline blood and then pradofloxacin was administered at 7.5 mg/kg, PO, twice daily for 28 days, starting 12 weeks after inoculation. Complete blood cell counts were performed prior to pradofloxacin administration and then every 2 weeks for 10 weeks.PCR assay was performed prior to pradofloxacin administration and approximately every 2 weeks for 10 weeks and then weekly for 4 weeks. Methylprednisolone acetate (5 mg/kg) was administered by intramuscular injection to all cats on week 10. The cats remained normal and none developed a hematocrit, platelet count, lymphocyte count, or neutrophil count outside of the normal reference ranges. In the one month prior to pradofloxacin administration, all cats were PCR-positive forDNA on at least two of four sample dates; after pradofloxacin administration, all cats were negative forDNA in blood on all nine sample dates. The protocol appears to be safe and failure to amplifyDNA from the blood after the administration of pradofloxacin and one dose of methylprednisolone acetate suggests either an antibiotic effect or the organism was cleared spontaneously.