Evaluation of tetracycline, erythromycin, penicillin and streptomycin for decontaminating koala semen contaminated in vitro with chlamydiae
- T. J. Bodetti, BSc1,
- K. Hengstberger, BSc2,
- S. Johnston, BSc, PhD2 and
- P. Timms, BSc, MSc, PhD1
- 1 School of Life Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia
- 2 School of Animal Studies, University of Queensland, Gatton, Australia
- School of Life Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia
Abstract
Semen from seven koalas was extended in a tris-citrate glucose diluent containing one of four antibiotics at different concentrations and then contaminated with a standard concentration of chlamydiae. These semen preparations were then tested for residual chlamydial viability by an in vitro cell culture assay, and any detrimental effect of the antibiotics on the motility and viability of the sperm was assessed. Penicillin at 25 iu/ml or more, erythromycin at 1000 μg/mI or more and tetracycline at 200 μg/mI or more were highly effective at rendering the chlamydiae non-viable, but streptomycin showed no antichlamydial activity. There was a significant reduction of the motility of spermatozoa extended in diluents containing erythromycin (P<0.05), but spermatozoa incubated with tetracycline up to concentrations of 200 μg/mI were not affected.
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