title: Clinical implications of macrolide resistance in community-acquired respiratory tract infections.
abstract: Laboratory surveillance data suggest that macrolide resistance among Streptococcus pneumoniae has increased dramatically over the past 15 years. This review examines the specifics of macrolide resistance and the clinical relevance of in vitro susceptibility testing in light of the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of azithromycin and clarithromycin. These drugs concentrate extensively within respiratory tissue and have other positive characteristics not reflected by in vitro susceptibility testing. In general, clarithromycin is the most potent macrolide and the one most likely to maintain clinical efficacy against the low-level resistance associated with most macrolide-resistant pneumococci in the USA. These findings suggest that susceptibility data may underestimate clinical utility and that clarithromycin still has a place in the empiric treatment of respiratory infections.
authors.affiliation: Health Science Centre, Department of Medical Microbiology, MS673 Thorlakson Building, 820, Sherbrook Street, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3A 1R9, Canada. dhoban@hsc.mb.ca
authors.forename: Daryl J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Hoban
authors.forename: George G
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Zhanel
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017963:Azithromycin / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017291:Clarithromycin / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017714:Community-Acquired Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D006801:Humans; D048628:Ketolides / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018942:Macrolides / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D013296:Streptococcus pneumoniae / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D048628:Ketolides; D018942:Macrolides; D017963:Azithromycin; D017291:Clarithromycin