Efficacy of Bedaquiline, Alone or in Combination with Imipenem, against Mycobacterium abscessus in C3HeB/FeJ Mice

Abstract

<i>Mycobacterium abscessus</i> lung infections remain difficult to treat. Recent studies have recognized the power of new combinations of antibiotics, such as bedaquiline and imipenem, although <i>in vitro</i> data have questioned this combination. We report that the efficacy of bedaquiline-imipenem combination treatment relies essentially on the activity of bedaquiline in a C3HeB/FeJ mice model of infection with a rough variant of <i>M. abscessus</i> The addition of imipenem contributed to clearing the infection in the spleen.