Pharmacokinetics of cefquinome in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) after intravascular, intraperitoneal, and oral administrations

This study aimed to determine the pharmacokinetics and bioavailability of cefquinome in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) following intravascular (IV), intraperitoneal (IP), and oral (PO) administrations at 14 ± 1°C. In this study, three hundred and six clinically healthy rainbow trout (110–140 g) were used. The fish received single IV, IP, and PO injections of cefquinome at 10 mg/kg dose. The plasma concentrations of cefquinome were measured using HPLC-UV and were evaluated using non-compartmental analysis. Cefquinome was measured up to 96 h for PO route and 144 h for IV and IP routes in plasma. Following IV administration, t1/2ʎz, ClT, and Vdss were 18.85 h, 0.037 L/h/kg, and 0.84 L/kg, respectively. The Cmax of IP and PO routes was 9.75 and 1.64 μg/ml, respectively. The bioavailability following IP and PO administrations was 59.46% and 12.33%, respectively. Cefquinome at 10 mg/kg dose may maintain T > MIC above 40% at 72 and 96 h intervals, respectively, following the IP and IV routes for bacteria with MIC values of ≤2 μg/ml and at 24 h intervals following the PO route for bacteria with MIC value of ≤0.75 μg/ml. However, further studies are needed to determine in vitro and in vivo antibacterial efficacy and multiple dosage regimens of cefquinome against pathogens isolated from rainbow trout.