Successful treatment with moxifloxacin of experimental aortic valve endocarditis due to methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)

Moxifloxacin (MXF) is an 8-methoxyquinolone with high activity against Gram-positive bacteria. In an experimental model of aortic valve endocarditis (EAVE), the efficacy of MXF was evaluated against a strain of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Rabbits with catheter-induced aortic valve vegetations were randomly assigned to a control group or to groups receiving MXF 20 mg/kg intravenous (i.v.) twice a day (bid) or vancomycin (VAN) 30 mg/kg i.v. bid for a total of eight doses (4 days). Rabbits were sacrificed 15 h after the last dose of antibiotics. In another group, treatment with MXF was extended to 5 days and rabbits were sacrificed 5 days after the last dose (10th dose) of MXF in order to detect possible relapses of endocarditis after the end of treatment (test-of-cure (TOC) study). Both MXF and VAN significantly reduced the bacterial load in vegetations (P < 0.001 vs. controls). All animals in the MXF-TOC group had sterile vegetations. MXF given at a dose of 20 mg/kg i.v. bid for 4 days was equally effective as VAN in the treatment of EAVE due to MRSA. When treatment with MXF was extended to 5 days, the cure rate reached 100% and no relapses of endocarditis were observed.