title: Newer developments in the treatment of Gram-positive infections.
abstract: Gram-positive organisms are continually a major cause of infection. These organisms are ever-evolving and exhibit resistance to nearly all available agents. Historically, vancomycin was crowned the drug of choice for many of these organisms including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, penicillin-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae, and penicillin-resistant Enterococcus spp. Many of these organisms have exhibited reduced susceptibility or frank resistance to vancomycin which has resulted in treatment failure. For this reason, new strategies in treating Gram-positive infections are a hot topic. There are two general approaches to waging this war: i) development of new antimicrobial agents; and ii) reinvigorating old antibiotics that still retain appreciable activity against Gram-positives. We review both antibiotic groupings with a focus on S. aureus, S. pneumoniae and Enterococcus spp.
authors.affiliation: Hartford Hospital, Center for Anti-Infective Research and Development, 80 Seymour Street, Hartford, CT 06102, USA.
authors.forename: Pornpan
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Koomanachai
authors.forename: Jared L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Crandon
authors.forename: David P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Nicolau
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016908:Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents