Penicillin-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae: Review of moxifloxacin activity

Streptococcus pneumoniae is a significant pathogen of respiratory tract inf ections such as pneumonia, sinusitis, meningitis, and acute otitis media. R ising incidences of antimicrobial resistance among pneumococcal strains rep orted worldwide have led to research into and development of advanced antib acterials with improved grampositive activity. Moxifloxacin, a new 8-methox y quinolone, has been tested against a variety of S. pneumoniae strains, in cluding penicillin-sensitive, intermediately resistant to penicillin, and p enicillin-resistant strains. We review the preclinical data corroborated by the available clinical experience to demonstrate moxifloxacin's activity a gainst S. pneumoniae strains, irrespective of penicillin susceptibility.