ANTIMICROBIAL CHEMOTHERAPY FOR LEGIONNAIRES-DISEASE - A REVIEW

Controlled trials of antimicrobial chemotherapy for legionnaires' dise ase have not been performed, although erythromycin and tetracycline ap pear to be effective therapies. Laboratory data indicate that the acti vities of the fluoroquinolone and newer macrolide/azalide agents again st Legionella pneumophila are superior to that of erythromycin, and ca se reports substantiate that the activities of these agents are at lea st equal. Results of clinical treatment with and laboratory testing of macrolides, tetracyclines, co-trimoxazole, chloramphenicol, aminoglyc osides, fluoroquinolones, beta-lactam agents, and streptogramins are r eviewed. The drugs of choice for the treatment of legionnaires' diseas e in immunocompromised or severely ill patients should be one of the f luoroquinolone antimicrobials rather than erythromycin.