Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia and endocarditis treated with ceftaroline salvage therapy.
BACKGROUND
One of the newest methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) antibiotics to receive FDA approval is ceftaroline fosamil, a member of a new subclass of cephalosporins with unique activity against MRSA. However, ceftaroline is currently only FDA approved for complicated skin/soft tissue infections and community-acquired pneumonia; there are currently no clinical data regarding its use in MRSA bacteraemia and endocarditis. We report a series of six patients in which ceftaroline was utilized as salvage monotherapy in persistent MRSA bacteraemia or endocarditis.


METHODS
Using pharmacy records, 11 ceftaroline-treated patients were identified between January 2011 and November 2011 at University Health System and the South Texas Veterans Health Care System in San Antonio, TX, USA. All cases were reviewed and six patients received ceftaroline therapy for MRSA bacteraemia or endocarditis due to persistent or recurrent bacteraemia while on standard antibiotics (vancomycin or daptomycin).


RESULTS
All six patients experienced rapid clearance of their bacteraemia after starting ceftaroline. In the case of endocarditis for which the patient subsequently developed heart failure and required valve replacement, there was no evidence of growth from cultures taken from the excised valve, suggesting sterilization within 13 days of starting ceftaroline.


CONCLUSIONS
Ceftaroline exhibits potent anti-MRSA activity in both in vitro and animal studies, including rabbit endocarditis models; however, the lack of clinical data has limited its use in bacteraemia and endovascular infections in humans. We hope that this series serves as an initial stepping stone for further evaluation of this compound for more invasive infections due to MRSA.
Department of Medicine ,Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA.
Tony T
TT
Ho
Jose
J
Cadena
Lindsey M
LM
Childs
Miguel
M
Gonzalez-Velez
James S
JS
Lewis
D000328:Adult; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D016470:Bacteremia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D002511:Cephalosporins / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004697:Endocarditis, Bacterial / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D055624:Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D008875:Middle Aged; D016879:Salvage Therapy / Q000379:methods; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D013781:Texas; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D000097583:Ceftaroline
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D002511:Cephalosporins; D000097583:Ceftaroline