title: Ketolides: the future of the macrolides?
abstract: The prevalence of antibiotic resistance in bacterial pathogens associated with community-acquired respiratory tract infections is increasing. Ketolides, semi-synthetic derivatives of erythromycin, overcome the macrolide resistance mechanisms found in Streptococcus pneumoniae and Streptococcus pyogenes, two key pathogens. They also have improved potency and longer post-antibiotic effects, while maintaining the antibacterial spectrum of the macrolide class. The new ketolides cethromycin (ABT-773) and telithromycin have overall antibacterial properties that suggest they will be clinically useful new antibiotics and are undergoing clinical development and regulatory review.
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial; D004917:Erythromycin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D048628:Ketolides; D018942:Macrolides; D008780:Methyltransferases / Q000378:metabolism; D012270:Ribosomes / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D048628:Ketolides; D018942:Macrolides; D004917:Erythromycin; D008780:Methyltransferases; C087013:ermGT protein, Lactobacillus reuteri; C405499:cethromycin; C106791:telithromycin