Linezolid treatment of glycopeptide-resistant Enterococcus faecium in very low birth weight premature neonates

• Published in: International journal of antimicrobial agents 2006-03, Vol.27 (3), p.256-258
• Main Authors: Hoehn, Rene, Groll, Andreas H., Schaefer, Volker, Bauer, Karl, Schloesser, Rolf L.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acetamides - administration & dosage; Acetamides - pharmacokinetics; Acetamides - pharmacology; Antibiotics. Antiinfectious agents. Antiparasitic agents; Biological and medical sciences; Diseases of mother, fetus and pregnancy; Drug Resistance, Bacterial; Enterococcus; Enterococcus faecium; Enterococcus faecium - drug effects; Enterococcus faecium - genetics; Enterococcus faecium - isolation & purification; Female; Glycopeptides - pharmacology; Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections - drug therapy; Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections - microbiology; Gynecology. Andrology. Obstetrics; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Infant, Very Low Birth Weight; Linezolid; Male; Medical sciences; Neonates; Oxazolidinones - administration & dosage; Oxazolidinones - pharmacokinetics; Oxazolidinones - pharmacology; Pharmacokinetics; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Pregnancy. Fetus. Placenta; Premature Birth; Safety
• ISSN: 0924-8579; 1872-7913
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijantimicag.2005.11.006

Glycopeptide-resistant Enterococcus faecium has emerged as an important nosocomial pathogen with limited therapeutic options. Here we report the successful treatment of glycopeptide-resistant E. faecium infection in two very low birth weight premature infants with the new oxazolidinone linezolid. Treatment with linezolid at a dosage of 10 mg/kg every 8 h intravenously for a duration of 16 days and 14 days, respectively, was well tolerated and led to complete clinical recovery and clearance of the organism from all body sites. The two cases support the clinical efficacy and safety of linezolid in very low birth weight premature neonates with glycopeptide-resistant E. faecium infections.