The Role of Fluoroquinolones in Skin and Skin Structure Infections
- 1 January 2002
- journal article
- review article
- Published by Springer Science and Business Media LLC in American Journal of Clinical Dermatology
- Vol. 3 (1), 37-46
- https://doi.org/10.2165/00128071-200203010-00004
Abstract
Skin and skin structure infections encompass a broad range of clinical presentations and disease severity. Antimicrobial therapy is clearly beneficial for both recovery from these infections as well as preventing disease progression. Fluoroquinolones are potent broad spectrum antimicrobial agents with the older agents characterized as having broad spectrum anti-Gram-negative activity, borderline activity against clinically important Gram-positive pathogens and little or no anti-anaerobic bacteria activity. In contrast, the new quinolones are characterized by having enhanced activity against Gram-positive pathogens, anti-anaerobic activity and they remain highly active against aerobic-Gram-negative bacilli. Several fluoroquinolones have been evaluated for the treatment of uncomplicated skin and soft tissue infection, difficult skin and soft tissue infection and serious skin and skin structure infections. Clinical cure rates were found to be equivalent to comparators suggesting a role for the fluoroquinolone in treating these infections. It may be necessary to use some fluoroquinolones in combination with anti-anaerobic agents for those infections with mixed aerobic and anaerobic pathogens. Some additional clinical trials are necessary to identify the full potential of newer fluoroquinolones for skin and skin structure infections. At present, quinolones are, in general, equivalent to β-lactam agents in the treatment of skin and soft tissue infection.Keywords
This publication has 17 references indexed in Scilit:
- Clinical utility of the new fluoroquinolones for treating respiratory and urinary tract infectionsExpert Opinion on Investigational Drugs, 2001
- Mutant Prevention Concentrations of Fluoroquinolones for Clinical Isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniaeAntimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, 2001
- In vitro activity of gemifloxacin against a broad range of recent clinical isolates from the USA.Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, 2000
- Bacterial pathogens isolated from patients with skin and soft tissue infections: frequency of occurrence and antimicrobial susceptibility patterns from the SENTRY Antimicrobial Surveillance Program (United States and Canada, 1997)Diagnostic Microbiology and Infectious Disease, 1999
- Expanded activity and utility of the new fluoroquinolones: A reviewClinical Therapeutics, 1999
- GatifloxacinDrugs, 1999
- Antimicrobial Resistance in Isolates from Inpatients and Outpatients in the United States: Increasing Importance of the Intensive Care UnitClinical Infectious Diseases, 1997
- Dog bites: how big a problem?Injury Prevention, 1996
- Bite Wounds and InfectionClinical Infectious Diseases, 1992
- Oral Ciprofloxacin vs Parenteral Cefotaxime in the Treatment of Difficult Skin and Skin Structure InfectionsArchives of Internal Medicine, 1989