USE OF TEICOPLANIN IN COMMUNITY-MEDICINE

Administration of parenteral antibiotics to outpatients is increasingl y used to reduce hospital costs, to reduce loss of earnings for the pa tient and to improve the quality of life in patients requiring prolong ed antibiotic treatment. The glycopeptides are required for treatment of infections caused by methicillin resistant staphylococci and some e nterococci, or for treatment of patients allergic to beta-lactam agent s. For home therapy, teicoplanin has some advantages over vancomycin i n that it requires only once-daily bolus administration, does not nece ssitate monitoring of serum concentrations and offers the choice of in travenous or intramuscular administration. Teicoplanin has been used t o complete treatment of endocarditis at home in selected patients, str eptococcal disease being the most suitable form of endocarditis for th is treatment. In open trials, teicoplanin has been found effective in home therapy of osteomyelitis but, as with other agents, prolonged dos age can be associated with adverse effects. It has also been used for home treatment of infections of the respiratory tract, intravascular c atheters and soft tissue. Despite its higher acquisition costs, teicop lanin is to be preferred over vancomycin because of the reduced admini stration and assay costs and fewer adverse effects.