New antibiotics for Gram-negative pneumonia
Matteo Bassetti1,2, Federica Magnè3, Daniele Roberto Giacobbe3,2
1Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Health Sciences (DISSAL), University of Genova, Genova, Italy matteo.bassetti@hsanmartino.it.
Abstract:
Pneumonia is frequently encountered in clinical practice, and Gram-negative bacilli constitute a significant proportion of its aetiology, especially when it is acquired in a hospital setting. With the alarming global rise in multidrug resistance in Gram-negative bacilli, antibiotic therapy for treating patients with pneumonia is challenging and must be guided by in vitro susceptibility results. In this review, we provide an overview of antibiotics newly approved for the treatment of pneumonia caused by Gram-negative bacilli. Ceftazidime-avibactam, imipenem-relebactam and meropenem-vaborbactam have potent activity against some of the carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales, especially Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase producers. Several novel antibiotics have potent activity against multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa, such as ceftazidime-avibactam, ceftolozane-tazobactam, imipenem-relabactam and cefiderocol. Cefiderocol may also play an important role in the management of pneumonia caused by Acinetobacter baumannii, along with plazomicin and eravacycline.
Insights
New antibiotics offer hope for treating Gram-negative pneumonia. These drugs show promise against multidrug-resistant bacteria like Klebsiella pneumoniae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
Area of Science:
- Infectious Diseases
- Microbiology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Gram-negative bacilli are a major cause of hospital-acquired pneumonia.
- Increasing multidrug resistance in Gram-negative bacteria complicates treatment.
- In vitro susceptibility testing is crucial for guiding antibiotic selection.
Approach:
- This review summarizes newly approved antibiotics for Gram-negative pneumonia.
- The review focuses on agents effective against resistant pathogens.
- Antibiotic activity against specific resistant Gram-negative bacteria is discussed.
Key Points:
- Ceftazidime-avibactam, imipenem-relebactam, and meropenem-vaborbactam are effective against carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales, including Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase producers.
- Novel agents like ceftazidime-avibactam, ceftolozane-tazobactam, imipenem-relebactam, and cefiderocol show activity against multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
- Cefiderocol, plazomicin, and eravacycline are potential treatments for Acinetobacter baumannii pneumonia.
Conclusions:
- New antibiotic options are available for treating challenging Gram-negative bacterial pneumonias.
- These agents provide crucial alternatives for infections caused by multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacilli.
- The development of novel antibiotics is vital in combating rising antimicrobial resistance.
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