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Effects of clarithromycin, azithromycin and rifampicin on terbutaline-induced sweating in foals.
Abstract: Erythromycin (ERY) induces anhidrosis in foals. Azithromycin (AZI) and clarithromycin (CLA), often combined with rifampicin (RIF), are commonly used to treat Rhodococcus equi infections, but effects on sweating have not been investigated. Objective: To determine the effects of AZI, CLA and RIF on sweat responses in normal foals. Methods: Each experiment was a blinded, duplicated, six foal × three period counterbalanced within subjects design (12 foals/experiment). Methods: Antimicrobials were given orally for 5 days. In Experiment 1, ERY, AZI and CLA were given. In Experiment 2, ERY, RIF and ERY/RIF combination were used. Quantitative intradermal terbutaline sweat tests were performed daily for 3 days before and 1, 2, 5, 9, 24, and 39 days after treatment. Data were analysed by repeated measures analysis of variance procedures. Significance was P≤0.05. Results: In Experiment 1, all macrolides suppressed sweating although CLA and AZI were less potent than ERY. In Experiment 2, significant sweat suppression occurred in foals given ERY with or without RIF, but there was no effect of RIF alone. Rifampicin reduced sweat suppression by ERY on Day 1 of treatment but not thereafter. Conclusions: Because ERY blood concentrations were not measured, effects of RIF on ERY-induced anhidrosis could not definitively be ascribed to altered ERY bioavailability. Conclusions: All macrolides commonly used to treat R. equi pneumonia, i.e. ERY, AZI and CLA, induce anhidrosis in foals. The potent anti-sudorific effect of ERY is delayed, but not substantially affected by concurrent RIF administration.
© 2017 EVJ Ltd.
Publication Date: 2017-03-29 PubMed ID: 28238211DOI: 10.1111/evj.12677Google Scholar: Lookup The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
- Journal Article
Summary
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This research article investigates the effects of various antibiotics, namely azithromycin, clarithromycin, and rifampicin, on induced sweating in young horses, or foals. The study found that all tested antibiotics caused anhidrosis (the inability to sweat) in the foals, with azithromycin and clarithromycin being less potent than erythromycin.
Study Design and Methods
- The study set up two different experiments that both utilized a blinded, duplicated, and countertop design with six foals involved in each experiment.
- Antibiotics were administered orally for a period of five days to the foals. Experiment 1 involved giving erythromycin, azithromycin, and clarithromycin, whereas Experiment 2 involved giving erythromycin, rifampicin, and a combination of both erythromycin and rifampicin.
- Sweat response tests were conducted before treatment and then again 1, 2, 5, 9, 24, and 39 days after treatment. These tests provided quantitative data on the effects of each antibiotic on sweat production.
Results
- In the first experiment, all three antibiotics suppressed sweat production, with erythromycin being the most potent, followed by azithromycin, and clarithromycin.
- The second experiment found that erythromycin, administered alone or in combination with rifampicin, caused significant sweat suppression, while rifampicin alone had no effect. However, rifampicin reduced sweat suppression caused by erythromycin on the first day of treatment but not afterwards.
Conclusions
- The results of the study indicated that all the antibiotics commonly used to treat R. equi pneumonia, namely erythromycin, azithromycin, and clarithromycin, induce anhidrosis in foals.
- The erythromycin’s potent anti-sweating effect is delayed but largely not influenced by concurrent administration with rifampicin.
- Nevertheless, because erythromycin blood concentrations were not measured, the study could not definitively establish whether rifampicin’s impact on erythromycin-induced anhidrosis was due to changes in erythromycin bioavailability.
Cite This Article
APA
Stieler Stewart AL, Sanchez LC, Mallicote MF, Muniz AL, Westerterp MS, Burrow JA, MacKAY RJ.
(2017).
Effects of clarithromycin, azithromycin and rifampicin on terbutaline-induced sweating in foals.
Equine Vet J, 49(5), 624-628.
https://doi.org/10.1111/evj.12677 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA.
- Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA.
- Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA.
- Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA.
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
- Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA.
- Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Azithromycin / pharmacology
- Clarithromycin / pharmacology
- Horses
- Rifampin / pharmacology
- Sweating / drug effects
- Terbutaline
Citations
This article has been cited 1 times.- Patterson Rosa L, Mallicote MF, MacKay RJ, Brooks SA. Ion Channel and Ubiquitin Differential Expression during Erythromycin-Induced Anhidrosis in Foals. Animals (Basel) 2021 Nov 25;11(12).
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