Quinolone use in the developing world: state of the art

The development of bacterial resistance to previously recommended standard therapy for common childhood infections in developing countries, notably dysentery and invasive salmonellosis, has left treatment options limited to the quinolones. A number of randomised controlled trials of the quinolones in shigellosis have demonstrated their efficacy and safety in children. Strategies to make these drugs available in developing countries for specific indications should be devised. Quinolones, however, should be limited to specific indications in order to prevent the emergence of bacterial resistance and thus preserve their clinical efficacy for important childhood infectious diseases in developing countries.