Description:
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<jats:p>Infection with resistant pathogens can adversely affect clinical, microbiological and economic outcomes. New agents for the treatment of many such serious infections are acutely needed in hospital practice. Tigecycline is a novel glycylcycline antimicrobial for intravenous use. It has an expanded broad-spectrum antibacterial activity including multi-drug resistant pathogens, like methicillin-resistant <jats:italic toggle="yes">Staphylococcus aureus</jats:italic>, vancomycin-resistant <jats:italic toggle="yes">enterococci</jats:italic>, multi-drug resistant <jats:italic toggle="yes">Streptococcus pneumoniae</jats:italic>, extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing gram-negative bacteria and <jats:italic toggle="yes">Acinetobacter baumannii</jats:italic>. Tigecycline however is not active against <jats:italic toggle="yes">Proteus, Providencia</jats:italic> and <jats:italic toggle="yes">Pseudomonas</jats:italic> species. Its currently approved indications include complicated skin and skin structure infections and complicated intra-abdominal infections. It has also been found to be effective for the treatment of community- as well as hospital-acquired and ventilator-associated pneumonia and bacteremia, sepsis with shock and urinary tract infections. Tigecycline appears to be a valuable treatment option for the management of superbugs, especially where conventional therapy has failed.</jats:p>
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