Microbial drug resistance and the roles of the new antibiotics.
Physicians should be cautious in prescribing broad-spectrum antibiotics, particularly vancomycin and the fluoroquinolones, because widespread use of these drugs is promoting antibiotic resistance. Resistance is now found in many organisms, including staphylococci, enterococci, streptococci, pneumococci, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Some resistant strains can be treated with alternative narrower-spectrum antibiotics. In addition, five newly licensed antibiotics are available, but they should be used judiciously because of their side effects, high cost, and ability to promote additional resistance.
Longworth
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Department of Infectious Diseases, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, OH 44195, USA. longwod@ccf.org
D000081:Acetamides / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D053626:Atovaquone; D001372:Aza Compounds; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D016983:Enterococcus / Q000187:drug effects; D024841:Fluoroquinolones; D000077734:Gatifloxacin; D006801:Humans; D000069349:Linezolid; D016106:Methicillin Resistance; D000077266:Moxifloxacin; D009285:Naphthoquinones / Q000627:therapeutic use; D023303:Oxazolidinones / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002727:Proguanil / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000187:drug effects; D011804:Quinolines; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects; D013296:Streptococcus pneumoniae / Q000187:drug effects; D014640:Vancomycin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D020713:Vancomycin Resistance; D014769:Virginiamycin / Q000627:therapeutic use
D000081:Acetamides; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D001372:Aza Compounds; D004338:Drug Combinations; D024841:Fluoroquinolones; D009285:Naphthoquinones; D023303:Oxazolidinones; D011804:Quinolines; C109496:atovaquone, proguanil drug combination; D014769:Virginiamycin; C062940:quinupristin-dalfopristin; D014640:Vancomycin; D000069349:Linezolid; D000077734:Gatifloxacin; D002727:Proguanil; D000077266:Moxifloxacin; D053626:Atovaquone