Dual dosage individualization of vancomycin therapy to treat Staphylococcus epidermidis intraperitoneal vascular paraprosthetic abscesses

• Published in: International journal of antimicrobial agents Vol. 19; no. 5; pp. 435 - 437
• Main Authors: Gerónimo-Pardo, Manuel, Mateos-Rodrı́guez, Fernando, Blanch-Sancho, José Javier, Martı́nez-Alfaro, Elisa
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 01-05-2002
• Subjects: Abdominal Abscess - drug therapy; Abdominal Abscess - microbiology; Aged; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Drug Administration Schedule; Female; Humans; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Prostheses and Implants - microbiology; Staphylococcal Infections - drug therapy; Staphylococcus epidermidis; Vancomycin - administration & dosage; Vancomycin - therapeutic use
• ISSN: 0924-8579; 1872-7913
• DOI: 10.1016/S0924-8579(02)00014-6

The preferred management of bacterial abscesses is therapeutic drainage. However, when drainage is believed to involve considerable risk, prolonged antimicrobial therapy may be used. In a review of the literature, Bamberger found no cases of abscesses treated with vancomycin over a 28-year period. In the last decade there has been an increase in the use of vancomycin to treat multiresistant Gram-positive infections and situations in which abscesses are treated only with this antibiotic may become more common. We report a case of Staphylococcus epidermidis abscesses successfully treated following dual dosage individualization of vancomycin, with serum levels well above the therapeutic range.