[Efficacy of rifampicin in experimental plague infection].

The effect of rifampicin on the plague microbe was studied in vitro and in albino mice with experimental plague infection. The rifampicin MIC with respect to 50 strains of the plague microbe of different origin in the tests on the Hottinger agar ranged from 1.6 to 6.4 micrograms/ml. High efficacy of rifampicin was shown in the prophylaxis and treatment of experimental plague when used in doses of 25 and 50 mg/kg once every 24 hours for 5 to 7 days. Rifampicin prevented the development of plague in at least 80 per cent of the albino mice when it was administered 1, 3, 6 and 24 hours prior to the infection. The antibiotic had a prolonged action and preserved its high efficacy after the administration at intervals of 48 and 72 hours.