Drug focus. Linezolid

Multiple antibiotic resistance is increasing worldwide in Gram-positive bacteria, especially in hospitals. Problem organisms include multiply resistant strains of pneumococci, Staphylococcus aureus and enterococci; for many of these the glycopeptide vancomycin has become the treatment of last resort. This situation has been made worse by the emergence of vancomycin-resistant enterococci and vancomycin-intermediate S. aureus. Fortunately, several compounds active against resistant Gram-positive bacteria are in active development. One of these is linezolid, the first of the oxazolidinones, a new class of antibacterial. Linezolid is a synthetic agent which is active against all the clinically important Gram-positive bacteria, including multiply resistant strains. It has good pharmacokinetics, with equal bioavailability by both oral and intravenous routes and no need for dose adjustment in patients with renal impairment. The drug has a good safety profile and clinical trials have given excellent results in a variety of skin and soft tissue, respiratory and bloodstream infections. Linezolid is a promising drug, which, together with prudent antibiotic use and the prevention and control of hospital infection, will help in the battle against multiply antibiotic resistant Gram-positive bacteria