Tigecycline for Treatment of Pneumonia and Empyema Caused by Carbapenemase-ProducingKlebsiella pneumoniae

The current state of multidrug-resistant gram-negative bacilli in North America

Although much of today's media focuses on multidrug-resistant gram-positive bacteria such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus, resistance within gram-negative bacilli continues to rise, occasionally creating situations in which few or no antibiotics that retain activity are available. Extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Escherichia coli and Klebsiella sp are emerging threats nationally. Although carbapenems are considered the antibiotic class of choice to treat ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae, the ability of these organisms to produce carbapenemases has now become apparent in some regions throughout the United States. Although still rare, Klebsiella sp that produce KPC-2 retain susceptibility only to tigecycline, polymyxins, and occasionally aminoglycosides. Multidrug resistance among Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter sp has always been apparent across many hospitals in the United States. Recent surveillance indicates increasing resistance to all currently available antibiotics, including carbapenems, cephalosporins, penicillins, fluoroquinolones, and aminoglycosides. Against many strains, only polymyxins retain activity; however, resistance has also been reported to these agents. Fortunately, resistance mechanisms such as metallo-beta-lactamases are still rare in the United States. As no new antibiotics with novel mechanisms against many of these gram-negative bacilli are expected to be developed in the foreseeable future, careful and conservative use of agents combined with good infection control practices is required.

Clinical and microbiological outcomes of serious infections with multidrug-resistant gram-negative organisms treated with tigecycline

Eighteen patients received tigecycline as treatment for infection due to multidrug-resistant gram-negative bacilli, including Acinetobacter baumannii and Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase- and extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae. Pretherapy minimum inhibitory concentration values for tigecycline predicted clinical success. Observed evolution of resistance during therapy raises concern about routine use of tigecycline in treatment of such infections when other therapies are available.