Future prospects and therapeutic potential of streptogramins

Dramatic changes in the epidemiology and susceptibility patterns of Gram-positive cocci during the last decade have mandated new approaches to the management of many bacterial infections. For example, there has been a sharp increase in the incidence of infections caused by Staphylococcus aureus, particularly those resistant to methicillin (MRSA), and methicillin-resistant coagulase-negative staphylococci, particularly those associated with foreign bodies and indwelling medical devices. Additionally, the worldwide spread of Streptococcus pneumoniae strains resistant to penicillin and macrolides, and the emergence of enterococci (particularly Enterococcus faecium) resistant to vancomycin, teicoplanin and other antibiotics, present further therapeutic problems. New antibacterial agents are urgently required to meet the challenges posed by these epidemiological trends. The semisynthetic streptogramins, a unique class of antibacterials currently under development, offer promise in the treatment of such multiresistant infections. Possible future applications include treatment of infections caused by the following organisms: MRSA, enterococci resistant to vancomycin, macrolides or lincosamides; and β-lactam-resistant streptococci. They may also prove useful as therapy for children with staphylococcal infection and patients with multiresistant infections who are unable to tolerate vancomycin, including patients with skin and soft tissue infections caused by Gram-positive pathogens, patients with osteomyelitis, foreign body associated infections, endocarditis and sepsis due to Gram-positive bacteria. Clinical trials are required to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of streptogramins in these settings.