title: Rifamycin antibiotics for treatment of Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To review the existing data on use of the rifamycin class of antibiotics as therapy for Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea (CDAD).
  
  
  METHODS
  A literature search was performed using PubMed (1996-January 2008), abstracts from the International Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy (September 2007), the Infectious Diseases Society of America (October 2007), Salix Pharmaceuticals Web site (January 2008), ActivBiotics Web site (January 2008), Google Scholar, and searches of selected bibliographies using the terms rifamycin, ansamycins, rifampin, rifabutin, rifampicin, rifaximin, rifalazil, Clostridium difficile, C. difficile, and CDAD.
  
  
  METHODS
  In vivo and in vitro studies investigating the use of rifamycins for CDAD were selected, along with all clinical trials using rifamycins in patients with CDAD.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Nine studies totaling 890 isolates were identified that investigated the in vitro susceptibility of rifampin (6 studies), rifaximin (3 studies), and rifalazil (2 studies). Rifamycins consistently displayed potent activity against tested strains, although strains with decreased susceptibility have been identified. Six published clinical studies involving 81 patients have investigated the use of rifamycins for the treatment of CDAD. These have generally been small studies, although initial positive clinical results have been reported on the use of rifamycins for recurrent CDAD.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Preliminary data support the use of rifamycins for treatment of CDAD. With the increased incidence and severity of CDAD, further investigation into this drug class as a treatment regimen for CDAD is warranted.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Sciences and Administration, College of Pharmacy, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA. kgarey@uh.edu
authors.forename: Kevin W
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Garey
authors.forename: Miguel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Salazar
authors.forename: Dhara
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Shah
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rodrigue
authors.forename: Herbert L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: DuPont
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D016360:Clostridioides difficile / Q000187:drug effects; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D004761:Enterocolitis, Pseudomembranous / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D012294:Rifamycins / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D012294:Rifamycins