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Underestimated collateral effects of antibiotic therapy in prosthesis-associated bacterial infections

L Baldassarri1, L Montanaro, R Creti

  • 1Department of Infectious, Parasitic and Immunomediated Diseases, National Institute of Health, Rome, Italy. baldassa@iss.it

The International Journal of Artificial Organs
|October 6, 2007
PubMed

Insights

Antibiotic therapy for indwelling medical device infections in elderly or critically ill patients can unexpectedly increase bacterial virulence. This highlights a crucial, often overlooked, collateral effect of antibiotic treatment in vulnerable populations.

Area of Science:

  • Medical microbiology
  • Infectious diseases
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Infections linked to indwelling medical devices pose significant challenges, especially in aging or severely ill patients.
  • Aggressive antibiotic therapy is often required but can lead to various collateral effects.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To summarize the impact of antibiotics on microbial virulence factor expression.
  • To highlight potential, overlooked adverse effects of antibiotic treatment.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on antibiotic effects on microbial virulence.
  • Analysis of studies detailing changes in virulence factor expression during antibiotic treatment.

Main Results:

  • Antibiotics can alter the expression of bacterial virulence factors.
  • Certain antibiotic treatments may paradoxically stimulate bacterial virulence.

Conclusions:

  • The stimulation of bacterial virulence by antibiotics is a significant collateral effect.
  • Understanding these effects is crucial for managing device-associated infections in vulnerable patients.

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