[Animal experiment studies on the modification of the immune system by ofloxacin]

Ofloxacin, one of the new group of quinolone antibiotics, was investigated with respect to its possible interactions with different parameters of the immune system. The study was performed in vivo on Balb/c-mice treated for seven days with different doses of the antibiotic and in vitro on human phagocytes from peripheral blood. It was found that ofloxacin does not affect cellular or humoral immune responses in mice. Moreover, human phagocytic cells exposed in vitro even to high concentrations of the drug did not show any significant changes in their function. On the other hand, it was observed that subinhibitory concentrations of ofloxacin induced an increased susceptibility of Staphylococcus aureus 511-Jena to the bactericidal activity of phagocytes.