Fluoroquinolones for treatment of community-acquired pneumonia and tuberculosis: putting the risk of resistance into perspective.

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Abstract
Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is a common and important disease that occurs in all age groups worldwide. Streptococcus pneumoniae is the most common cause of CAP and is the pathogen associated with the greatest morbidity and mortality [1]. High-level penicillin-resistant and drug-resistant S. pneumoniae infections are now a global problem; thus, the number of therapeutic options for the empirical treatment of CAP is limited. The fluoroquinolones for treatment of respiratory diseases, including gatifloxacin, moxifloxacin, and levofloxacin, have an excellent spectrum, providing coverage for the most important respiratory pathogens, including drug-resistant S. pneumoniae and atypical pathogens. The rate of fluoroquinolone-resistant pneumococcus infection is <3% in most countries [2–4]. As a result, the fluoroquinolones for treatment of respiratory diseases have been recommended and are increasingly being used as preferred or alternative therapy for the treatment of CAP [1, 5].

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