Comparison of prophylactic tetracycline and clioquinol in a rabbit model of intestinal infection with vibrio cholerae and escherichia coli

The ability of tetracycline and clioquinol to prevent intestinal colonization of Vibrio cholerae and Escherichia coli was tested in a rabbit model. In the model 10¹⁰ bacteria are given via oro-gastric tube following intravenous cimetidine and oral sodium bicarbonate and prior to intraperitoneal tincture of opium. Eighteen hours after challenge the rabbits are sacrificed, and the numbers of the challenge strain remaining in the jejunum and ileum are determined. Tetracycline interrupted the intestinal colonization of V. Cholerae and E. coli. Clioquinol however, had minimal effect on the colonization process. Our studies demonstrate the efficacy of prophylactic tetracycline but do not support the use of clioquinol to prevent intestinal infection due to these organisms. This rabbit model may also be useful to study the efficacy of other antibiotics against these bacterial infections.