Beneficial Effect of Oral Tigecycline Treatment on Clostridium difficile Infection in Gnotobiotic Piglets

Abstract

The efficacy of oral tigecycline treatment (2 mg/kg of body weight for 7 days) of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) was evaluated in the gnotobiotic pig model, and its effect on human gut microflora transplanted into the gnotobiotic pig was determined. Tigecycline oral treatment improved survival, clinical signs, and lesion severity and markedly decreased concentrations of Firmicutes but did not promote CDI. Our data showed that oral tigecycline treatment has a potential beneficial effect on the treatment of CDI.