A Novel, Broad-Spectrum Antimicrobial Combination for the Treatment of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Corneal Infections

Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2019 Sep 23;63(10):e00777-19. doi: 10.1128/AAC.00777-19. Print 2019 Oct.

Abstract

Bacterial keratitis causes significant blindness, yet antimicrobial resistance has rendered current treatments ineffective. Polymyxin B-trimethoprim (PT) plus rifampin has potent in vitro activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, two important causes of keratitis. Here we further characterize this combination against P. aeruginosa in a murine keratitis model. PT plus rifampin performed comparably to or better than moxifloxacin, the gold standard, suggesting that the combination may be a promising therapy for bacterial keratitis.

Keywords: antimicrobial combinations; drug discovery; eye; keratitis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology*
  • Cornea / drug effects
  • Cornea / microbiology
  • Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial / drug effects
  • Drug Therapy, Combination / methods
  • Eye Infections, Bacterial / drug therapy*
  • Eye Infections, Bacterial / microbiology
  • Female
  • Keratitis / drug therapy
  • Keratitis / microbiology
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests / methods
  • Polymyxin B / pharmacology
  • Pseudomonas Infections / drug therapy*
  • Pseudomonas aeruginosa / drug effects*
  • Rifampin / pharmacology
  • Staphylococcal Infections / drug therapy
  • Staphylococcal Infections / microbiology
  • Staphylococcus aureus / drug effects
  • Trimethoprim / pharmacology

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Trimethoprim
  • Polymyxin B
  • Rifampin