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Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy (2000) 46, 577-582
© 2000 The British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy

Inhibition of growth of Pneumocystis carinii by lactoferrins alone and in combination with pyrimethamine, clarithromycin and minocycline

Oscar Cirioni*, Andrea Giacometti, Francesco Barchiesi and Giorgio Scalise

Institute of Infectious Diseases and Public Health, University of Ancona, Italy

The in vitro activity of lactoferrins alone and in combination with clarithromycin, minocycline and pyrimethamine was investigated against three clinical isolates of Pneumocystis carinii. Susceptibility was tested by inoculating isolates on to cell monolayers and determining the parasite count after 72 h incubation at 37°C. The culture medium was supplemented with serial dilutions of each agent. At 20 mg/L, bovine lactoferrin, the most active agent, suppressed the growth of cystic and trophic forms by >60%. Human lactoferrin, at the same concentration, suppressed the growth of cystic and trophic forms by >50%. Lactoferrins at 20 mg/L combined with clarithromycin 4 mg/L had high anti-P. carinii activity, with a >90% decrease in cystic and trophic form counts. Our study suggests that lactoferrins may inhibit P. carinii growth in vitro and act synergically with other clinically used compounds. These findings lend experimental support to the use of iron-chelating agents in the therapy of pneumocystis infections.

* Correspondence address. Clinica Malattie Infettive, c/o Azienda Ospedaliera Umberto I, Piazza Cappelli 1, I-60121 Ancona, Italy. Tel: +39-071-596-3467; Fax: +39-071-596-3468; E-mail: cmalinf{at}popcsi.unian.it


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