Mechanism of Action
Doxycycline inhibits bacterial protein synthesis by binding to the 30S ribosomal subunit. Doxycycline has bacteriostatic activity against a broad range of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Cross resistance with other tetracyclines is common. Doxycycline has been shown to be active against most isolates of the following microorganisms, both in vitro and in clinical infections as described in the INDICATIONS AND USAGE section of the package insert for doxycycline tablets.
Gram-Negative Bacteria
Acinetobacter species
Bartonella bacilliformis
Brucella species
Calymmatobacterium granulomatis
Campylobacter fetus
Enterobacter aerogenes
Escherichia coli
Francisella tularensis
Haemophilus ducreyi
Haemophilus influenzae
Klebsiella species
Neisseria gonorrhoeae
Shigella species
Vibrio cholerae
Yersinia pestis
Gram-Positive Bacteria
Bacillus anthracis
Streptococcus pneumoniae
Anaerobic Bacteria
Clostridium species
Fusobacterium fusiforme
Propionibacterium acnes
Other Bacteria
Nocardiae and other Actinomyces species
Borrelia recurrentis
Chlamydophila psittaci
Chlamydia trachomatis
Mycoplasma pneumoniae
Rickettsiae
Treponema pallidum
Treponema pertenue
Ureaplasma urealyticum
Parasites
Balantidium coli
Entamoeba species
Susceptibility Testing Methods
When available, the clinical microbiology laboratory should provide the results of in vitro susceptibility test results for antimicrobial drugs used in resident hospitals to the physician as periodic reports that describe the susceptibility profile of nosocomial and community-acquired pathogens. These reports should aid the physician in selecting the most effective antimicrobial.
Dilution techniques
Quantitative methods are used to determine antimicrobial minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs). These MICs provide estimates of the susceptibility of bacteria to antimicrobial compounds. The MICs should be determined using a standardized test method (broth and/or agar).1,2,4 The MIC values should be interpreted according to criteria provided in Table 1.
Diffusion techniques
Quantitative methods that require measurement of zone diameters can also provide reproducible estimates of the susceptibility of bacteria to antimicrobial compounds. The zone size provides an estimate of the susceptibility of bacteria to antimicrobial compounds.
The zone size should be determined using a standardized test method.1,3,4 This procedure uses paper disks impregnated with 30 mcg doxycycline to test the susceptibility of microorganisms to doxycycline. The disk diffusion interpretive criteria are provided in Table 1.
Anaerobic Techniques
For anaerobic bacteria, the susceptibility to doxycycline can be determined by a standardized test method.5 The MIC values obtained should be interpreted according to the criteria provided in Table 1.
Table 1: Susceptibility Test Interpretive Criteria for Doxycycline and Tetracycline |
| Bacteria* | Minimal Inhibitory Concentration (mcg per mL) | Zone Diameter (mm) | Agar Dilution (mcg per mL) |
| Bacteria* | S | I | R | S | I | R | S | I | R |
Acinetobacter spp. Doxycycline Tetracycline | ≤4 ≤4 | 8 8 | ≥16 ≥16 | ≥13 ≥15 | 10-12 12-14 | ≤9 ≤11 | - - | - - | - - |
Anaerobes Tetracycline | - | - | - | - | - | - | ≤4 | 8 | ≥16 |
Bacillus anthracis† Doxycycline Tetracycline | ≤1 ≤1 | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - |
Brucella species† Doxycycline Tetracycline | ≤1 ≤1 | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - |
Enterobacteriaceae Doxycycline Tetracycline | ≤4 ≤4 | 8 8 | ≥16 ≥16 | ≥14 ≥15 | 11-13 12-14 | ≤10 ≤11 | - - | - - | - - |
Franciscella tularensis† Doxycycline Tetracycline | ≤4 ≤4 | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - |
Haemophilus influenzae Tetracycline | ≤2 | 4 | ≥8 | ≥29 | 26-28 | ≤25 | - | - | - |
Mycoplasma pneumoniae† Tetracycline | - | - | - | - | - | - | ≤2 | - | - |
Neisseria gonorrhoeae‡ Tetracycline | - | - | - | ≥38 | 31-37 | ≤30 | ≤0.25 | 0.5-1 | ≥2 |
Norcardiae and other aerobic Actinomyces species† Doxycycline | ≤1 | 2-4 | ≥8 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Streptococcus pneumoniae Tetracycline | ≤2 | 4 | ≥8 | ≥23 | 19-22 | ≤18 | - | - | - |
| Vibrio cholerae Doxycycline Tetracycline | ≤4 ≤4 | 8 8 | ≥16 ≥16 | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - |
Yersinia pestis Doxycycline Tetracycline | ≤4 ≤4 | 8 8 | ≥16 ≥16 | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - |
Ureaplasma urealyticum Tetracycline | - | - | - | - | - | - | ≤1 | - | ≥2 |
* Organisms susceptible to tetracycline are also considered susceptible to doxycycline. However, some organisms that are intermediate or resistant to tetracycline may be susceptible to doxycycline.
† The current absence of resistance isolates precludes defining any results other than "Susceptible". If isolates yielding MIC results other than susceptible, they should be submitted to a reference laboratory for further testing.
‡ Gonococci with 30 mcg tetracycline disk zone diameters of less than 19 mm usually indicate a plasmid-mediated tetracycline resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolate. Resistance in these strains should be confirmed by a dilution test (MIC ≥ 16 mcg per mL).
A report of Susceptible (S) indicates that the antimicrobial is likely to inhibit growth of the pathogen if the antimicrobial compound reaches the concentrations at the infection site necessary to inhibit growth of the pathogen. A report of Intermediate (I) indicates that the result should be considered equivocal, and, if the bacteria is not fully susceptible to alternative, clinically feasible drugs, the test should be repeated. This category implies possible clinical applicability in body sites where the drug product is physiologically concentrated or in situations where high dosage of drug can be used. This category also provides a buffer zone that prevents small uncontrolled technical factors from causing major discrepancies in interpretation. A report of Resistant (R) indicates that the antimicrobial is not likely to inhibit growth of the pathogen if the antimicrobial compound reaches the concentrations usually achievable at the infection site; other therapy should be selected.
Quality Control
Standardized susceptibility test procedures require the use of laboratory controls to monitor and ensure the accuracy and precision of the supplies and reagents used in the assay, and the techniques of the individuals performing the test.1,2,3,4,5,6,7
Standard doxycycline and tetracycline powders should provide the following range of MIC values noted in Table 2. For the diffusion technique using the 30 mcg doxycycline disk the criteria noted in Table 2 should be achieved.
Table 2: Acceptable Quality Control Ranges for Susceptibility Testing for Doxycycline and Tetracycline| QC Strain | Minimal Inhibitory Concentration (mcg per mL) | Zone Diameter (mm) | Agar Dilution (mcg per mL) |
Enterococcus faecalis ATCC 29212 Doxycycline Tetracycline | 2 – 8 8 – 32 | - - | - - |
Escherichia coli ATCC 25922 Doxycycline Tetracycline | 0.5 – 2 0.5 – 2 | 18 – 24 18 – 25 | - - |
Haemophilus influenzae ATCC 49247 Tetracycline | 4 – 32 | 14 – 22 | - |
Neisseria gonorrhoeae ATCC 49226 Tetracycline | - | 30 – 42 | 0.25 – 1 |
Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923 Doxycycline Tetracycline | - - | 23 – 29 24 – 30 | - - |
Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 29213 Doxycycline Tetracycline | 0.12 – 0.5 0.12 – 1 | - - | - - |
Streptococcus pneumoniae ATCC 49619 Doxycycline Tetracycline | 0.015 – 0.12 0.06 – 0.5 | 25 – 34 27 – 31 | - - |
Bacteroides fragilis ATCC 25285 Tetracycline | - | - | 0.125 – 0.5 |
Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron ATCC 29741 Tetracycline | - | - | 8 – 32 |
Mycoplasma pneumoniae ATCC 29342 Tetracycline | 0.06 – 0.5 | - | 0.06 – 0.5 |
Ureaplasma urealyticum ATCC 33175 Tetracycline | - | - | ≥8 |