Pharmacodynamics of gatifloxacin in experimental models of pneumococcal meningitis

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Updated: Oct 13, 2026

A Robust Pneumonia Model in Immunocompetent Rodents to Evaluate Antibacterial Efficacy against S. pneumoniae, H. influenzae, K. pneumoniae, P. aeruginosa or A. baumannii
09:17

A Robust Pneumonia Model in Immunocompetent Rodents to Evaluate Antibacterial Efficacy against S. pneumoniae, H. influenzae, K. pneumoniae, P. aeruginosa or A. baumannii

Published on: January 2, 2017

G H McCracken1

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, Dallas, TX 75235-9063, USA.

Clinical Infectious Diseases : an Official Publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America
|September 13, 2000
PubMed

Insights

Gatifloxacin shows effectiveness against Streptococcus pneumoniae meningitis in rabbits, comparable to standard treatments. Its bactericidal activity depends on maintaining drug concentrations above the minimal bactericidal concentration (MBC).

Area of Science:

  • Pharmacology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Microbiology

Background:

  • Rising bacterial resistance impacts meningitis treatment.
  • Fluoroquinolone use in children is limited due to potential chondrotoxicity.
  • Need for effective antibiotics against Streptococcus pneumoniae.

Purpose of the Study:

  • Evaluate gatifloxacin's efficacy in a rabbit model of pneumococcal meningitis.
  • Compare gatifloxacin to conventional regimens.
  • Determine factors influencing gatifloxacin's bactericidal activity.

Main Methods:

  • Infection of rabbits with ceftriaxone-resistant, gatifloxacin-susceptible Streptococcus pneumoniae.
  • Treatment with single- or divided-dose gatifloxacin regimens.
  • Review and comparison with existing studies.

Main Results:

  • Gatifloxacin demonstrated bacteriologic efficacy comparable to conventional regimens.
  • Bactericidal activity correlated with the area under the time-concentration curve (AUC)-to-minimal bactericidal concentration (MBC) ratio.
  • Optimal activity achieved when gatifloxacin concentrations exceeded MBC throughout the dosing interval.

Conclusions:

  • Gatifloxacin is a potentially effective agent for treating pneumococcal meningitis.
  • Therapeutic drug monitoring, focusing on AUC/MBC, is crucial for optimizing gatifloxacin's efficacy.
  • Further research may support fluoroquinolone use in specific pediatric meningitis cases.

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