Bacterial endocarditis treated with intramuscular teicoplanin.
Right-sided endocarditis caused by Staphylococcus aureus in parenteral drug abusers is potentially life-threatening, more so in the presence of pulmonary embolisation, and a course of parental antibiotics is required for at least four weeks. A combination of intravenous cloxacillin and aminoglycosides has proven efficacious for more than 90 percent of the patients. Intravenous vancomycin can also be used in cases of penicillin allergy or methicillin-resistant staphylococci. Intravenous teicoplanin, a glycopeptide with a similar antimicrobial profile to vancomycin, has been used with a somewhat lesser degree of success in these cases and is not recommended as first line therapy. We describe a 37-year-old man, a parenteral drug user, who had right-sided endocarditis, where in the absence of other alternatives, teicoplanin had to be administered intramuscularly and not intravenously.
Chauhan
S
S
Department of Medicine, Government Medical College and Hospital, Chandigarh, Union Territory, India. drsc88@rediffmail.com
D'Cruz
S
S
Sachdev
A
A
Singh
R
R
D000328:Adult; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004697:Endocarditis, Bacterial / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007273:Injections, Intramuscular; D008297:Male; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D017334:Teicoplanin / Q000008:administration & dosage*
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D017334:Teicoplanin