Clinical management of respiratory tract infections in the community: experience with telithromycin

Among adults, acute sinusitis, tonsillitis/pharyngitis, community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) and acute exacerbations of chronic bronchitis (AECB) are the most commonly encountered respiratory tract infections (RTIs) in the community. Empiric antibacterial therapy is the most widely used approach for the treatment of such infections. The appropriate antibacterial requires consideration of a number of patient-, pathogen- and drug-related factors. One additional factor is the global spread of resistance among common respiratory pathogens such as Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae and Moraxella catarrhalis, which limits the utility of existing antibacterials. Telithromycin (HMR 3647), the first of a new family of antibacterials, the ketolides, was designed specifically to provide optimal therapy for community-acquired RTIs. This agent, which has a broad spectrum of antibacterial activity against common respiratory pathogens (including resistant strains and atypical/intracellular organisms), has been clinically and bacteriologically evaluated against gold-standard comparators in a series of phase III clinical trials. The results of these studies demonstrate that telithromycin, at a dosage of 800 mg once daily, is an effective, well-tolerated agent for the treatment of the most commonly encountered community-acquired RTIs. Moreover, telithromycin meets the challenge of increasing antibacterial resistance. High rates of clinical cure and bacteriologic eradication were achieved, even in patients infected with problematic resistant pathogens such as penicillinG- and macrolide-resistant S. pneumoniae. In summary, telithromycin represents a promising new antibacterial for the treatment of community-acquired RTIs. With high efficacy and bacterial eradication rates, good tolerability and convenient once-daily administration, telithromycin therapy should result in increased patient compliance and improved outcomes, thereby minimizing the risk of developing antibacterial resistance.