Treatment of infections due to methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.
Strains of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus are resistant to other penicillins. The in-vitro susceptibility to the cephalosporins differs among strains. Some strains, susceptible to cephalosporins by the standard disk susceptibility test, are proved resistant by the quantitative dilution test; they may show pop-up colonies within the zone of inhibition when incubated further at room temperature. The clinical efficacy of the cephalosporins with or without an aminoglycoside in treating infections due to methicillin-resistant S. aureus is in doubt. To date, susceptible to vancomycin. In-vitro antagonism of vancomycin and rifampin against S. aureus has been shown. Thus, vancomycin alone appears to be the treatment of choice; if this treatment fails, aminoglycoside or rifampin should be added. Serum bactericidal titers should be carefully monitored before and after the addition of the new agent and in-vitro time-kill studies of combination of antibiotics done if feasible.
D002511:Cephalosporins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008712:Methicillin / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D010403:Penicillin Resistance; D012293:Rifampin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects; D014640:Vancomycin / Q000627:therapeutic use
D002511:Cephalosporins; D014640:Vancomycin; D008712:Methicillin; D012293:Rifampin