Antistaphylococcal antibiotics and chemotherapeutics

Staphylococcal infections are most often skin purulent processes that heal on their own or after surgical intervention. The choice of antibiotic is ultimately guided by the sensitivity of the staphylococcus. The basic drug is oxacillin. If oxacillin is contraindicated, vancomycin, lincomycin, or 1st generation cephalosporins are recommended.

Antistaphylococcal ATBs include:
 * Glycopeptide ATBs - vancomycin;
 * Lincosamides - lincomycin, clindamycin;
 * Penicillins resistant to staphylococcal penicillinase - oxacillin, methicillin;
 * Cephalosporins 1st generation - cephalothin, cefazolin; 2nd generation - cefuroxime, cefaclor

Lincomycin has bacteriostatic to bactericidal effects; its derivative clindamycin has the same effects. Vancomycin has bactericidal effects.

There are strains of Staphylococcus aureus that are methicillin-resistant (MRSA) and vancomycin-resistant (VRSA). Such bacteria then cause severe nosocomial infections and increase morbidity and mortality in hospitalised patients.

Related articles

 * Antibiotics
 * Resistance of clinically important bacteria to the ATB of choice