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Improved Enzyme Protection Assay to Study Staphylococcus aureus Internalization and Intracellular Efficacy of Antimicrobial Compounds
06:36

Improved Enzyme Protection Assay to Study Staphylococcus aureus Internalization and Intracellular Efficacy of Antimicrobial Compounds

Published on: September 8, 2021

Newer antistaphylococcal agents

John S Bradley1

  • 1Division of Infectious Diseases, Children's Hospital San Diego, San Diego, California 92123, USA. jbradley@chsd.org

Current Opinion in Pediatrics
|January 22, 2005
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

Antibiotic resistance in staphylococci is rising, impacting pediatric treatments. Assessing local resistance patterns is crucial for effective empiric and definitive antibiotic therapy decisions in children.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Infectious Diseases
  • Antimicrobial Resistance
  • Staphylococcal Infections

Background:

  • Increasing antibiotic resistance in staphylococci, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), challenges traditional pediatric treatments with first-generation cephalosporins, penicillins, and macrolides.
  • Local resistance trends are critical for guiding empiric antibiotic therapy decisions in pediatric staphylococcal infections.
  • Assessing pathogen-specific resistance patterns allows for informed selection of alternative antibiotic agents for definitive therapy.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the evolving landscape of antibiotic resistance in staphylococci affecting children.
  • To highlight the importance of understanding local resistance patterns for effective treatment strategies.
  • To discuss current and emerging therapeutic options for staphylococcal infections in pediatric populations.

Main Methods:

  • Review of current literature on antibiotic resistance trends in staphylococci.
  • Analysis of therapeutic options for community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) in children.
  • Evaluation of newly approved and investigational agents for staphylococcal infections.

Main Results:

  • Treatment of MRSA and macrolide-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in children may involve vancomycin, linezolid, or clindamycin (if susceptible).
  • Daptomycin is approved for adults, with second-generation glycopeptides (dalbavancin, oritavancin) in adult clinical trials.
  • New cephalosporins active against MRSA are in preclinical development.

Conclusions:

  • The rise of CA-MRSA necessitates a revised approach to treating staphylococcal infections in pediatric care.
  • Newer agents like linezolid are approved for children, while adult-approved medications are under investigation for pediatric use.
  • Older, less costly antibiotic agents may still offer effective treatment options for staphylococcal infections, though data from prospective studies are limited.

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