A new generation of fluoroquinolone treatment has begun with the advent of the high-dose, short-course levofloxacin regimen. It may seem to many working in the field of infectious diseases that over the last decade the development of new fluoroquinolones has been matched by the subsequent dismissal of many of these agents from general use. However, one agent has remained constant throughout this time. As competitor agents arrive and then fall by the wayside, levofloxacin remains a valuable member of the physician’s armamentarium, providing reliable, effective and safe treatment for a wide range of infections. Now the utility of this agent has been further enhanced by the development of a 750 mg dose that provides excellent clinical and microbiological success while, at the same time, allowing administration in a short five-day schedule that possesses advantages of greater compliance, cost-effectiveness and the potential to halt the increase in resistance. To summarize the role of this new regimen, Penetrationinterviewed Lala M. Dunbar, Albert Lauro Chair and Professor of Medicine/Emergency Medicine at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States of America. Professor Dunbar has been at the forefront of clinical research into the use of high-dose, short-course levofloxacin and was able to use her in-depth knowledge of infectious diseases and antibiotic strategies to provide a comprehensive overview of this exciting new formulation.
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