Although the focus of infectious disease in 2009 has been the Influenzae A (H1N1) virus, physicians and patients must not forget bacterial pathogens continue as a major threat. Many bacterial complications of viral infections reinforce this message. Without effective antimicrobial cover, bacterial infections would seriously damage society and healthcare systems. Antibiotics were originally thought to be the end of infectious diseases, but some see the development of resistance and super-bugs as signalling the end of the antibiotic era. However, neither position is correct – infectious diseases remain although we have an armamentarium of effective antibiotics. To maintain their activity, we must continue collecting susceptibility and resistance data to determine the most effective evidence-based antimicrobial regimens. It is also essential to combat constantly evolving pathogens and we are fortunate to have the fluoroquinolones, which have become very important since their introduction in quinolone form in 1962. One of the most important is levofloxacin, available since the 1990s and still exceptionally active. Levofloxacin, also one of the safest fluoroquinolones, has remained effective by judicious use of appropriate regimens based on pharmacological parameters and susceptibility data. To examine the current activity of levofloxacin against common bacterial pathogens Penetration interviewed Rafael Cantón, Professor of Microbiology at the Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal, Madrid, Spain. Professor Cantón is the Clinical Data Coordinator of EUCAST (European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing) and an expert on antimicrobial surveillance. Professor Cantón gave an indepth summary of the current situation regarding fluoroquinolones, particularly levofloxacin resistance profiles, and compared these with other agents.

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