Intravenous fusidic acid ('Fucidin') in the management of severe staphylococcal infections: a review of 46 cases

Summary

Case reports are reviewed of 46 patients with severe, life-threatening infections, mainly staphylococcal, who were treated with intravenous fusidic acid. Overall, 22 (48%) patients survived and 24 died, 10 of these within 24 hours of commencing treatment with fusidic acid. Thirty-nine patients received unsuccessful antibiotic therapy prior to the administration of fusidic acid. It was not possible to relate prior antibiotic treatment to outcome, and, in such severe infections, complicating diseases had an adverse effect upon survival. It is concluded that intravenous fusidic acid ('Fucidin') has an important place in the treatment of severe staphylococcal infections.

Key Words::

• Fusidic acid
• staphylococcal infections
• septicaemia
• pneumonia