Role of gemifloxacin in community-acquired pneumonia

Abstract

Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is the leading cause of death due to bacterial infection. It accounts for 10 million physician office visits in the USA annually. However, 80% of these are managed in the community, usually with oral antibiotic therapy. Typically, such courses have lasted 10 days or longer. Streptococcus pneumoniae accounts for 25% of all CAP infections; resistance among S. pneumoniae to all classes of antibiotics, including fluoroquinolones, poses new and shifting challenges to the primary care physician. Gemifloxacin is a potent agent, active against pneumococci and atypical pathogens. Administered once daily for 5 days, gemifloxacin is highly efficacious and well tolerated. Gemifloxacin administered for 5–7 days is a cost effective and safe alternative to both parenteral and oral antimicrobials, which may not cover the emerging resistant respiratory pathogens.

Keywords::

• community-acquired pneumonia
• fluoroquinolone
• gemifloxacin
• short-course therapy

Financial & competing interests disclosure

GS Tillotson is an employee of Replidyne. The author has no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.