Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Doxycycline treatment cuts eye infection in cats with Chlamydophila
By Dean, Rachel et al.·Published in Journal of clinical microbiology·2005·School of Clinical Veterinary Science, United Kingdom·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Use of quantitative real-time PCR to monitor the response of Chlamydophila felis infection to doxycycline treatment.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
Fifteen cats with eye infections caused by Chlamydophila felis were treated with doxycycline, an antibiotic. Some cats received the medication for 7 days, others for 14 days, while a control group did not receive treatment. Although doxycycline reduced the infection and improved symptoms, the cats showed a return of the infection after stopping the medication. Ultimately, a longer treatment of 21 to 28 days of doxycycline was needed to fully eliminate the infection in most cats.
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Abstract
Fifteen cats infected with Chlamydophila felis were monitored for the presence of C. felis DNA on ocular swabs by using real-time PCR and for clinical signs of disease. The cats were assigned to three groups: oral doxycycline at 10 mg/kg of body weight/day for 7 days (six cats), oral doxycycline at 10 mg/kg/day for 14 days (five cats), and an untreated control group (four cats). The untreated cats remained positive for C. felis throughout the trial; clinical signs were most severe on days 14 to 21 postinfection, and then they declined. Treatment with 7 and 14 days of doxycycline decreased C. felis relative copy numbers and clinical signs rapidly. C. felis became undetectable in some of the cats during or after treatment. However, after the cessation of treatment, a recurrence of high relative copy numbers of C. felis and severe clinical signs in all cats was seen. Rescue treatment with 21 days of doxycycline was successful at eliminating infection in eight of the cats; a further 28 days of doxycycline was required to eliminate infection in the remaining three cats. It was concluded that 7, 14, and, in some cases, 21 days of treatment with oral doxycycline will not eliminate C. felis infection. At least 28 days of treatment with doxycycline is required to ensure elimination of the organism. Real-time PCR is a sensitive technique for monitoring C. felis infection and the response to antibiotic treatment.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15815009/