Related Experiment Videos
Antibiotic resistance: where do ketolides fit?
1College of Pharmacy, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, 29425-2303, USA.
Abstract:
Burgeoning resistance to antibiotics among common respiratory pathogens poses a very real risk to public health. A need therefore exists for new antibiotics that not only target all common respiratory pathogens, including problematic strains such as penicillin- and macrolide-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae, but also resist resistance. The ketolides are a new class of antibiotics, of which telithromycin is the first to undergo clinical evaluation, designed to address such issues. These agents possess several innovative structural modifications that not only confer activity against common respiratory pathogens, irrespective of their beta-lactam or macrolide susceptibility, but also minimize the risk of emergent resistance. Ketolides such as telithromycin therefore represent important new options for the empiric treatment of community-acquired respiratory tract infections in an era of increasing resistance. They may be especially useful in areas where macrolide resistance among S. pneumoniae is common because current macrolide treatments against such pathogens are far from optimal.
Insights
New ketolide antibiotics, like telithromycin, are effective against resistant respiratory pathogens. They offer a crucial new treatment option for community-acquired respiratory tract infections, especially where resistance is high.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Pharmacology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Antibiotic resistance in respiratory pathogens is a growing public health concern.
- Existing treatments are becoming less effective against resistant strains like Streptococcus pneumoniae.
Purpose of the Study:
- To introduce ketolides, a novel antibiotic class, as a solution to rising antibiotic resistance.
- To evaluate telithromycin's efficacy against common respiratory pathogens, including resistant strains.
Main Methods:
- Clinical evaluation of telithromycin, the first in the ketolide class.
- Assessment of novel structural modifications conferring broad-spectrum activity and resistance mitigation.
Main Results:
- Ketolides demonstrate activity against respiratory pathogens regardless of beta-lactam or macrolide susceptibility.
- These agents are designed to minimize the emergence of new resistance.
Conclusions:
- Telithromycin and other ketolides represent promising new options for empiric treatment of respiratory infections.
- They are particularly valuable in regions with high rates of macrolide-resistant S. pneumoniae.