Successful treatment with faropenem and clarithromycin of pulmonary Mycobacterium abscessus infection.
Mycobacterium abscessus accounts for 80% of rapidly growing mycobacterial pulmonary infections and can be lethal. Treatment is difficult because of the paucity of effective drugs. We describe a patient with pulmonary M. abscessus infection who was treated with a regimen that included faropenem, a novel oral penem, and clarithromycin. He showed favorable responses to the treatment for more than 12 months. In vitro, faropenem had considerable inhibitory activities against 56 strains of rapidly growing mycobacteria, including M. peregrinum, M. chelonae, M. fortuitum, and M. abscessus (stated in order of increasing minimal inhibitory concentrations). Thus, faropenem has the potential to be used as an adjunctive drug with clarithromycin for the treatment of infection with rapidly growing mycobacteria, including M. abscessus.
Tanaka
Eisaku
E
Department of Infectious Diseases, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan. eisakut@rr.iij4u.or.jp
Kimoto
Terumi
T
Tsuyuguchi
Kazunari
K
Suzuki
Katsuhiro
K
Amitani
Ryoichi
R
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017291:Clarithromycin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007769:Lactams; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008875:Middle Aged; D009165:Mycobacterium Infections, Nontuberculous / Q000188:drug therapy*; D047090:beta-Lactams
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D007769:Lactams; D047090:beta-Lactams; C107057:fropenem; D017291:Clarithromycin