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Oxazolidinones: new players in the battle against multi-resistant Gram-positive bacteria

G W Kaatz1, M J Rybak

  • 1The Anti-Infective Research Laboratory, Department of Pharmacy Services, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48201, USA. gkaatz@juno.com

Expert Opinion on Emerging Drugs
|July 2, 2005
PubMed

Insights

Multi-resistant Gram-positive bacteria pose a significant challenge. Linezolid, a new oxazolidinone antibiotic, demonstrates excellent activity against these pathogens, filling a critical gap in treatment options.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Historically, development of antimicrobials targeting Gram-positive bacteria lagged.
  • Key agents included penicillins and vancomycin, but resistance emerged in Enterococci, Streptococcus pneumoniae, and Staphylococcus aureus.
  • Increasing resistance necessitates novel therapeutic strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To address the growing challenge of multi-resistant Gram-positive bacteria.
  • To evaluate the clinical utility of newly developed antimicrobial agents.
  • To highlight the significance of linezolid in combating resistant infections.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on antimicrobial resistance patterns.
  • In vitro and in vivo studies of linezolid's efficacy.
  • Clinical data analysis of linezolid's performance.

Main Results:

  • Emergence of glycopeptide-resistant Enterococci and penicillin-insensitive S. pneumoniae documented.
  • Vancomycin-intermediate Staphylococcus aureus (VISA) observed, with pan-resistant strains anticipated.
  • Linezolid exhibits potent activity against clinically relevant multi-resistant Gram-positive cocci.

Conclusions:

  • Multi-resistant Gram-positive bacteria present a major therapeutic hurdle.
  • Linezolid, the first oxazolidinone, offers a vital new option for treating infections caused by these resistant pathogens.
  • This agent effectively fills a crucial void in current infectious disease chemotherapy.

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