Emerging therapies for serious gram-positive bacterial infections: A focuson linezolid

Respiratory tract infections and skin and soft-tissue infections frequently are caused by gram-positive cocci, and treating these infections with stan dard antibiotics has recently become problematic. Many of the primary patho gens causing these infections are now resistant to current standard treatme nt regimens. In addition, the frequency of these infections is increasing, particularly among patients with complex medical conditions. Thus, new and effective antimicrobial agents are needed, and many are currently in variou s stages of development. Linezolid, the first approved oxazolidinone, has e nhanced activity against gram-positive organisms. Recent results of 5 large , randomized, phase 3 trials evaluating linezolid for the treatment of comm unity-acquired pneumonia, nosocomial pneumonia, and uncomplicated and compl icated skin and soft-tissue infections are encouraging and indicate that li nezolid is as effective as standard comparator agents as therapy for these infections. Thus, the recent availability of linezolid offers clinicians a promising new agent for the treatment of serious gram-positive bacterial in fections.