Antibiotic Susceptibility Tests for Three Phases of Cpn

The following is from the indicated patent.

Editor: In reading the table, "positive" means that the signal for Cpni [1] still could be detected. "Negative" means that no signal for Cpn was detected, i.e. Cpn was eradicated in all of it's forms. The MOMP gene detected by the Vanderbilt tests is present if any of the three phases of Cpn are present. The table demonstrates the faster erradication using the INHi [2]/Metronidazolei [3]/Penicillamine combo with the particular cell culture being tested, and that other combinations were also effective given longer time. Please remember that this is a laboratory cell culture test, not a clinical trial.

"Two week exposure of single agents including the fluoroquinolone, ofloxacin, and the macrolide, clarithromycin, at 1 .mu.g/ml failed to clear HeLa cells in culture of a detectable PCRi [4] signal for the MOMP gene of Chlamydia pneumoniae. In contrast, triple agents consisting of isoniazid (INH), metronidazole, and penicillamine (1 .mu.g/ml each) resulted in no detectable PCR signal (Table 9). None of these agents, effective in the triple combination, is currently recognized as an anti-chlamydial agent.

Table 10 provides the results of an expanded study of antimicrobial susceptibilities at two different concentrations of antimicrobial agents, used alone and in combination, when exposed to the antimicrobial agents for two weeks. In addition to the agents already mentioned, minocycline, doxycycline, rifampin and sulfamethoxizole/trimethoprim, at all concentrations tested, failed to clear the PCR signal for chlamydia MOMP. Only the triple combination of isoniazid, metronidazole and penicillamine cleared the PCR signal. The triple combination was effective at both low and high concentrations. Table 10 also demonstrates the effect of a 4 week exposure with the same expanded series of antimicrobial agents alone and in combination. A number of triple combinations of antimicrobial agents resulted in cell cultures in which the PCR signal for the chlamydial MOMP gene could not be detected."