QUINOLONES

Fluoroquinolones represent a major advance in antimicrobial chemothera py. Currently, there are five fluoroquinolones approved by the Food an d Drug Administration, and many more quinolones are expected to become available in years to come. Although their clinical utility is consta ntly expanding, they have been best studied in complicated urinary tra ct infections, chronic osteomyelitis caused by gram-negative bacilli, bacterial gastrointestinal infections, such as traveler's diarrhea and typhoid fever, uncomplicated gonococcal infections, and in the prophy laxis of bacterial infections in patients with neutropenia. These agen ts have the convenience of oral administration, favorable pharmacokine tic properties, and low toxicity profiles, but should be used advisedl y because indiscriminate use may result in the early emergence of resi stance.