The use of ceftaroline fosamil in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus endocarditis and deep-seated MRSA infections: a retrospective case series of 10 patients

Heartfelt Impact: A Descriptive Analysis of Ceftaroline-Containing Regimens in Endocarditis due to Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus

INTRODUCTION

Infective endocarditis (IE) due to methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is characterized by frequent treatment failure to first-line agents and high mortality, necessitating use of alternative management strategies. Ceftaroline fosamil (CPT) is a cephalosporin antibiotic with activity against MRSA but without regulatory approval for the indication of IE. This study describes clinical experience with CPT-based regimens utilized in MRSA-IE.

METHODS

This is a retrospective, observational, descriptive analysis of patients from two major urban medical centers in Detroit, Michigan from 2011 to 2023. Included adult patients (≥ 18 years) had ≥ 1 positive blood culture for MRSA, met definitive clinical criteria for IE, and received CPT for ≥ 72 h. The primary outcome was treatment failure, defined as a composite of 30-day all-cause mortality from index culture or failure to improve or resolve infectious signs/symptoms after CPT initiation.

RESULTS

Seventy patients were included. The median (interquartile range [IQR]) age was 51 (34-63) years and 45.7% were male. Persons with injection drug use (PWID) made up 55.7% of the cohort and right-sided IE was the most prevalent subtype (50.0%). CPT was frequently employed second-line or later, often in combination with vancomycin (10.0%) or daptomycin (72.9%). Overall, 31.4% experienced treatment failure and 30-day all-cause mortality occurred in 15.7%.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings illustrate the challenges posed by MRSA-IE, including frequent treatment failures, and highlight the utilization of CPT as salvage therapy. Comparative studies are needed to more clearly define its role in MRSA-IE.

The Complex Intracellular Lifecycle of Staphylococcus aureus Contributes to Reduced Antibiotic Efficacy and Persistent Bacteremia

Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia continues to be associated with significant morbidity and mortality, despite improvements in diagnostics and management. Persistent infections pose a major challenge to clinicians and have been consistently shown to increase the risk of mortality and other infectious complications. S. aureus, while typically not considered an intracellular pathogen, has been proven to utilize an intracellular niche, through several phenotypes including small colony variants, as a means for survival that has been linked to chronic, persistent, and recurrent infections. This intracellular persistence allows for protection from the host immune system and leads to reduced antibiotic efficacy through a variety of mechanisms. These include antimicrobial resistance, tolerance, and/or persistence in S. aureus that contribute to persistent bacteremia. This review will discuss the challenges associated with treating these complicated infections and the various methods that S. aureus uses to persist within the intracellular space.

Ceftaroline Fosamil for the Treatment of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus Bacteremia: A Real-World Comparative Clinical Outcomes Study

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bacteremia results in substantial morbidity and mortality. As current treatments often lead to unsatisfactory outcomes, evidence guiding alternative treatment options is needed. This study evaluated real-world clinical outcomes of ceftaroline fosamil for the treatment of MRSA bacteremia.

METHODS

This retrospective study included adults hospitalized with MRSA bacteremia between 2011 and 2019. Patients were classified according to treatment with ceftaroline fosamil (ceftaroline), vancomycin, or daptomycin: Group 1, ceftaroline; Group 2, vancomycin or daptomycin (without ceftaroline); Group 3, combination therapy with ≥ 2 of these three agents. Clinical outcomes were compared using propensity-score-adjusted odds ratios (ORs) from logistic regression models.

RESULTS

Overall, 24,479 patients were included (Group 1, n = 532; Group 2, n = 21,555; Group 3, n = 2392). Mean age was 59.6, 60.8, and 57.4 years in Groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively. Mean post-index treatment length of stay was 8.8, 8.8, and 8.0 days, respectively. The most frequent line of therapy was ceftaroline first-line (42.1%), vancomycin or daptomycin first-line (95.4%), and combination therapy third-line or later (67.8%) in Groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively. Compared with Group 2, Groups 1 and 3 had similar favorable clinical responses {odds ratio [OR] = 1.18 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.98-1.44], p = 0.08; OR = 1.20 [95% CI 0.97-1.47], p = 0.09, respectively} and were less likely to switch treatment (both p < 0.001). Compared with Group 2, Group 1 was more likely to undergo 30-day all-cause readmission [OR = 1.38 (95% CI 1.06-1.80), p = 0.02], whereas this was less likely for Group 3 [OR = 0.77 (95% CI 0.58-1.00), p = 0.05].

CONCLUSIONS

Patients receiving ceftaroline more often had favorable clinical responses than those receiving vancomycin or daptomycin monotherapy. In the absence of large-scale randomized controlled trials, these real-world data provide insights into the potential role of ceftaroline for treating MRSA bacteremia.

Systematic review of ceftaroline fosamil in the management of patients with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus pneumonia

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is responsible for an array of problematic community- and healthcare-acquired infections, including pneumonia, and is frequently associated with severe disease and high mortality rates. Standard recommended treatments for empiric and targeted coverage of suspected MRSA in patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) and hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP), including ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), are vancomycin and linezolid. However, adverse events such as acute kidney injury and Clostridium difficile infection have been associated with these antibiotics. Ceftaroline fosamil is a β-lactam/extended-spectrum cephalosporin approved for the treatment of adults and children with CAP and complicated skin and soft tissue infections. Ceftaroline has in vitro activity against a range of common Gram-positive bacteria and is distinct among the β-lactams in retaining activity against MRSA. Due to the design of the pivotal randomised controlled trials of ceftaroline fosamil, outcomes in patients with MRSA CAP were not evaluated. However, various reports of real-world outcomes with ceftaroline fosamil for pneumonia caused by MRSA, including CAP and HAP/VAP, been published since its approval. A systematic literature review and qualitative analysis of relevant publications was undertaken to collate and summarise relevant published data on the efficacy and safety of ceftaroline fosamil in patients with MRSA pneumonia. While relatively few real-world outcomes studies are available, the available data suggest that ceftaroline fosamil is a possible alternative to linezolid and vancomycin for MRSA pneumonia. Specific scenarios in which ceftaroline fosamil might be considered include bacteraemia and complicating factors such as empyema.

New Antimicrobials and New Therapy Strategies for Endocarditis: Weapons That Should Be Defended

The overall low-quality evidence concerning the clinical benefits of different antibiotic regimens for the treatment of infective endocarditis (IE), which has made it difficult to strongly support or reject any regimen of antibiotic therapy, has led to a discrepancy between the available guidelines and clinical practice. In this complex scenario, very recently published guidelines have attempted to fill this gap. Indeed, in recent years several antimicrobials have entered the market, including ceftobiprole, ceftaroline, and the long-acting lipoglycopeptides dalbavancin and oritavancin. Despite being approved for different indications, real-world data on their use for the treatment of IE, alone or in combination, has accumulated over time. Furthermore, an old antibiotic, fosfomycin, has gained renewed interest for the treatment of complicated infections such as IE. In this narrative review, we focused on new antimicrobials and therapeutic strategies that we believe may provide important contributions to the advancement of Gram-positive IE treatment, providing a summary of the current in vitro, in vivo, and clinical evidence supporting their use in clinical practice.

Tricuspid Valve Endocarditis Due to Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus in a Previously Healthy Young Patient without a Drug Abuse History: A Case Report and a Review of the Literature

Right-sided infective endocarditis due to methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is strongly associated with intravenous drug abuse, congenital heart disease, or previous medical treatment and is rare in healthy patients without a history of drug abuse. Here, we present a case of an 18-year-old male with no drug abuse history and no medical burden who was diagnosed with MRSA tricuspid valve endocarditis. Due to initial symptoms which indicated community-acquired pneumonia and radiological finding of interstitial lesions, empiric therapy with ceftriaxone and azithromycin was started. After the detection of Gram-positive cocci in clusters in several blood culture sets, endocarditis was suspected, and flucloxacillin was added to the initial therapy. As soon as methicillin resistance was detected, the treatment was switched to vancomycin. Transesophageal echocardiography established the diagnosis of right-sided infective endocarditis. A toxicological analysis of hair was carried out, and no presence of narcotic drugs was found. After six weeks of therapy, the patient was fully recovered. Exceptionally, tricuspid valve endocarditis can be diagnosed in previously healthy people who are not drug addicts. As the clinical presentation commonly resembles a respiratory infection, a misdiagnosis is possible. Although MRSA rarely causes community-acquired infections in Europe, clinicians should be aware of this possibility.

Off-label use versus formal recommendations of conventional and novel antibiotics for the treatment of infections caused by multidrug-resistant bacteria

The infections caused by multidrug- and extensively drug-resistant (MDR, XDR) bacteria, including Gram-positive cocci (GPC, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, MDR-Streptococcus pneumoniae and vancomycin-resistant enterococci) and Gram-negative bacilli (GNB, including carbapenem-resistant [CR] Enterobacterales, CR-Pseudomonas aeruginosa and XDR/CR-Acinetobacter baumannii complex) can be quite challenging for physicians with respect to treatment decisions. Apart from complicated urinary tract and intra-abdominal infections (cUTIs, cIAIs), bloodstream infections and pneumonia, these difficult-to-treat bacteria also cause infections at miscellaneous sites (bones, joints, native/prosthetic valves and skin structures, etc.). Antibiotics like dalbavancin, oritavancin, telavancin and daptomycin are currently approved for the treatment of acute bacterial skin and skin structural infections (ABSSSIs) caused by GPC. Additionally, ceftaroline, linezolid and tigecycline have been formally approved for the treatment of community-acquired pneumonia and ABSSSI. Cefiderocol and meropenem-vaborbactam are currently approved for the treatment of cUTIs caused by XDR-GNB. The spectra of ceftazidime-avibactam and imipenem/cilastatin-relebactam are broader than that of ceftolozane-tazobactam, but these three antibiotics are currently approved for the treatment of hospital-acquired pneumonia, cIAIs and cUTIs caused by MDR-GNB. Clinical investigations of other novel antibiotics (including cefepime-zidebactam, aztreonam-avibactam and sulbactam-durlobactam) for the treatment of various infections are ongoing. Nevertheless, evidence for adequate antibiotic regimens against osteomyelitis, arthritis and infective endocarditis due to several GPC and MDR-GNB is still mostly lacking. A comprehensive review of PubMed publications was undertaken and the formal indications and off-label use of important conventional and novel antibiotics against MDR/XDR-GPC and GNB isolates cultured from miscellaneous sites are presented in this paper.

Current and emerging drug treatment strategies to tackle invasive community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection: what are the challenges?

INTRODUCTION

Community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) infections represent a leading cause of purulent skin and soft tissue infections in some geographical regions. Traditionally, 'old antibiotics' such as trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, tetracyclines, clindamycin, chloramphenicol,vancomycin, and teicoplanin have been used to treat these infections, but these were often associated with low efficacy and excessive side effects and toxicity, especially nephrotoxicity. Along with the development of new compounds, the last decade has seen substantial improvements in the management of CA-MRSA infections.

AREAS COVERED

In this review, the authors discuss the current and emerging drug treatment strategies to tackle invasive CA-MRSA infections. Articles reported in this review were selected from through literature searches using the PubMed database.

EXPERT OPINION

The availability of new drugs showing a potent in vitro activity against CA-MRSA represents a unique opportunity to face the threat of resistance while potentially reducing toxicity. All these compounds represent promising options to enhance our antibiotic armamentarium. However, data regarding the use of these new drugs in real-life studies are limited and their best placement in therapy and in terms of optimization of medical resources and balance of cost-effectiveness requires further investigation.

Novel Cephalosporins in Septic Subjects and Severe Infections: Present Findings and Future Perspective

In past decade, cephalosporins have developed significantly, and data regarding novel cephalosporins (i.e., ceftobiprole, ceftaroline, ceftolozane/tazobactam, ceftazidime/avibactam, and cefiderocol) within septic and bacteremic subjects are rising. These compounds generally offer very promising in vitro microbiological susceptibility, although the variability among gram-negative and -positive strains of different cohorts is noticed in the literature. We require further pharmacological data to measure the best dose in order to prevent sub-therapeutic drug levels in critically ill patients. These new compounds in theory are the sparing solution in the Enterobacteriales infection group for different antimicrobial classes such as aminoglycosides notably within endovascular and GNB-bacteremias, as well as colistin and carbapenem-sparing strategies, favoring good safety profile molecules. Moreover, new cephalosporins are the basis for the actual indications to open up new and exciting prospects for serious infections in the future. In future, patients will be addressed with the desirable approach to sepsis and serious infections in terms of their clinical situation, inherent features of the host, the sensitivity profile, and local epidemiology, for which evidence of the use of new cephalosporin in the treatment of severe infections will fill the remaining gaps.

High-level ceftaroline resistance in a paediatric patient with invasive methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection without previous ceftaroline exposure

WHAT IS KNOWN AN OBJECTIVE

Our objective is to report a paediatric case of high-level ceftaroline resistance without previous ceftaroline exposure.

CASE DESCRIPTION

A 20-month-old, 12 kg, female with invasive MRSA infection presented with high-level ceftaroline resistance with no previous ceftaroline exposure.

WHAT IS NEW AND CONCLUSION

To our knowledge, our case is the first report of high-level ceftaroline resistance evident in a paediatric patient with invasive infection due to MRSA, without history of prior ceftaroline exposure. This case illustrates the importance of weighing the risk of resistance with the benefits of use when starting therapy empirically prior to susceptibility results, even in patients without previous drug exposure.

Ceftaroline fosamil: clinical experience after 23-month prescription in a tertiary hospital

OBJECTIVE

To determine the indications, success rate and adverse effects of ceftaroline fosamil treatment in a tertiary hospital.

METHODS

In total, 84 cases from February 2018 to December 2019 were retrospectively analysed. No exclusion criteria were applied.

RESULTS

Eighty-four patients, with a median age of 70 years, of which, 6.7% (56) were male, were treated with ceftaroline fosamil for a median of 14 days. Most indications were off-label, including 29 endocarditis (34.5%), 14 bacteraemia (16.6%), 5 Central nervous system (CNS) infections (6%) and 19 osteoarticular infections (22.6%). Staphylococcus aureus was the most frequently isolated microorganism, including 28 methicillin-sensitive S. aureus (MSSA; 33.3%) and 14 methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA; 16.7%), followed by coagulase-negative Staphylococcus (23, 27.4%). The main reason for ceftaroline fosamil prescription was the failure of previous treatment (41.7% of cases). Treatment was successful in 60/84 patients (71.4%) and failed clinically or microbiologically in 14 (16.7%). Eight patients died for a reason not related to the infection and two were found to have a non-infectious condition. Twenty-two of thirty-five (62.8%) patients prescribed ceftaroline because of failure of previous treatment improved, including eight endocarditis and seven bacteraemia. Adverse effects were reported in five patients (5.9%) including neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, transaminases elevation and creatinine elevation; all except one were mild and all resolved after discontinuation of treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

Ceftaroline fosamil is a well-tolerated cephalosporine, effective against multi- resistant gram-positive and many gram-negative microorganisms. Our experience suggests that it is effective as a rescue or first-line therapy in other indications than those currently approved.

Ceftaroline activity against Staphylococcus aureus isolated from patients with infective endocarditis, worldwide (2010-2019)

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the antimicrobial activity of ceftaroline against Staphylococcus aureus isolated from patients with infective endocarditis (IE).

METHODS

23,833 S. aureus isolates were collected consecutively from patients with bloodstream infections (BSI) from 2010 to 2019, via the SENTRY Antimicrobial Surveillance Program, including 396 isolates from patients with a diagnosis of IE. Isolates were collected from 340 medical centers worldwide and susceptibility tested by reference broth microdilution in a monitoring laboratory.

RESULTS

The oxacillin resistance (MRSA) rate was 29.0% among IE isolates, and was higher in North America (40.3%) than in Europe (25.4%) or the Latin America/Asia-Pacific region (LATAM-APAC; 18.6%). Ceftaroline was active against 95.2% of IE isolates (MIC50/90, 0.25/1 mg/L), with ceftaroline susceptibility higher in North America (99.2%) and LATAM-APAC (98.3%) than in Europe (92.0%). Among MRSA isolates from IE (n = 115; MIC50/90, 1/2 mg/L), ceftaroline susceptibility was 98.0% in North America, 90.9% in LATAM-APAC, and 68.5% in Europe. Among BSI isolates, MRSA rates were 43.6% in North America and 25.6% in Europe, while ceftaroline susceptibility rates were 98.1% in North America and 95.4% in Europe.

CONCLUSIONS

Ceftaroline demonstrated potent in vitro activity against a large collection of S. aureus isolates recovered from patients with BSI, including IE.

Prevalence and molecular epidemiology of ceftaroline non-susceptible methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolates, first clinical report from Iran

BACKGROUND

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is one of the major pathogens in Iran with a high prevalence and a high level of antibiotic resistance. Ceftaroline is a fifth generation cephalosporin binding and inhibiting penicillin binding protein (PBP2a).

METHODS

In the present study, 228 clinical MRSA isolates were collected from four cities of Iran and their susceptibility to ceftaroline was evaluated by E-test and the disk diffusion method.

RESULTS

Our results showed a high susceptibility rate (97.3%) to ceftaroline in MRSA strains from Iran. Six isolates were found to be ceftaroline non-susceptible (CPT-NS) with Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) ≥2 µg/mL. All CPT-NS isolates were isolated from blood and tracheal aspirate and belonged to SCCmec type III as well as agr type I and were all susceptible to vancomycin. Out of six isolates, three, two and one belonged to spa type t030, t4864, and t969, respectively. Vancomycin, quinupristin/dalfopristin, linezolid, chloramphenicol, and tigecycline were the most active agents against CPT-NS isolates.

CONCLUSION

Due to the broad-spectrum activity and low toxicity of ceftaroline as well as the increased rate of vancomycin resistance among MRSA strains in recent years, ceftaroline can be considered as a novel approach to treat MRSA-induced infections.

[New antibiotics for severe infections due to multidrug-resistant pathogens : Definitive treatment and escalation]

Multidrug-resistant pathogens often lead to treatment failure of antimicrobial regimens. After a period of imbalance between the occurrence/spread of resistance mechanisms and the development of new substances, some new substances have meanwhile been approved and many more are currently undergoing clinical testing. They are particularly effective against specific resistance mechanisms/pathogens and should be preserved for definitive treatment of an isolated pathogen. In the absence of alternatives reserve antibiotics, such as aztreonam and colistin have experienced a renaissance. They are again used in special infection scenarios and clinically tested in combination with new substances. Despite the introduction and development of new substances the building of resistance will at some time also render these (at least partially) ineffective. Therefore, their implementation must be carried out according to the antibiotic or infectious diseases stewardship.

The Emerging Role of β-Lactams in the Treatment of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Bloodstream Infections

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bloodstream infections (BSI) are associated with substantial morbidity and mortality. Monotherapy with first-line antimicrobials such as vancomycin (VAN; glycopeptide) and daptomycin (DAP; lipopeptide) are inadequate in some cases due to reduced antibiotic susceptibilities or therapeutic failure. In recent years, β-lactam antibiotics have emerged as a potential option for combination therapy with VAN and DAP that may meet an unmet therapeutic need for MRSA BSI. Ceftaroline (CPT), the only commercially available β-lactam in the United States with intrinsic in vitro activity against MRSA, has been increasingly studied in the setting of VAN and DAP failures. Novel combinations of first-line agents (VAN and DAP) with β-lactams have been the subject of many recent investigations due to in vitro findings such as the "seesaw effect," where β-lactam susceptibility may be improved in the presence of decreased glycopeptide and lipopeptide susceptibility. The combination of CPT and DAP, in particular, has become the focus of many scientific evaluations, due to intrinsic anti-MRSA activities and potent in vitro synergistic activity against various MRSA strains. This article reviews the available literature describing these innovative therapeutic approaches for MRSA BSI, focusing on preclinical and clinical studies, and evaluates the potential benefits and limitations of each strategy.

Multicenter Cohort of Patients With Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Bacteremia Receiving Daptomycin Plus Ceftaroline Compared With Other MRSA Treatments

Background

Daptomycin and ceftaroline (DAP-CPT) have been used for persistent methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia (MRSAB), but have rarely been compared with other therapies. This study provides an exploratory analysis of patients placed on DAP-CPT vs standard of care (SOC) for MRSAB.

Methods

This is a retrospective, matched cohort study MRSAB patients at 4 hospitals in the United States. Patients receiving DAP-CPT for ≥72 hours at any point in therapy were matched 2:1 when possible, 1:1 otherwise, to SOC, first by infection source, then age and renal function. SOC was empiric treatment with vancomycin or daptomycin and any subsequent combination antibiotic(s), except for DAP-CPT.

Results

Fifty-eight patients received DAP-CPT with 113 matched SOC. Ninety-six percent of SOC received vancomycin, and 56% (63/113) escalated therapy at least once in the treatment course. Twenty-four patients received DAP-CPT within 72 hours of index culture; 2 (8.3%) died within 30 days vs 14.2% (16/113) with SOC (P > .05). Subgroup analysis identified numerically lower mortality in DAP-CPT patients with a Charlson comorbidity index ≥3, endovascular source, and receipt of DAP-CPT within 72 hours of index culture. The median MRSAB duration was 9.3 vs 4.8 days for DAP-CPT and SOC, respectively. DAP-CPT was initiated on day 6 on average; after receipt of DAP-CPT, MRSAB duration was 3.3 days.

Conclusions

DAP-CPT treatment is often delayed in MRSAB. Combination therapy may be more beneficial if initiated earlier, particularly in patients at higher risk for mortality. Blinded, randomized, prospective studies are needed to eliminate selection bias inherent in retrospective analyses when examining DAP-CPT vs SOC.

Off-label use of ceftaroline fosamil: A systematic review

Ceftaroline fosamil is a fifth-generation cephalosporin with anti-methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) activity. It has been approved by the EMA and FDA for the treatment of adults and children with community-acquired bacterial pneumonia (CABP) and acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections (ABSSSI). However, ceftaroline fosamil has a broad spectrum of activity, and a good safety and tolerability profile, so is frequently used off-label. The aim of this systematic review was to summarize the safety and efficacy of off-label use of ceftaroline. The review was conducted according to PRISMA guidelines. MEDLINE, EMBASE and CENTRAL databases (2010-2018) were searched using as the main term ceftaroline fosamil and its synonyms in combination with names of infectious diseases of interest. A total of 21 studies with 1901 patients were included: the most common off-label indications for ceftaroline use were bacteremia (n=595), endocarditis (n=171), osteoarticular infections (n=368), hospital-acquired pneumonia (n=115) and meningitis (n=23). The most common reasons for off-label use were persistent or recurrent infection after standard treatment or non-susceptibility to vancomycin and daptomycin. Clinical success was evaluated in 933 patients, and 724 (77%) of these reached this positive outcome. Incidence of adverse events (AEs) was reported in 11 studies. In 83 (9%) cases there were AEs related to the use of ceftaroline; the most common reported AEs were nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, rash and neutropenia. The review results show that ceftaroline may be used in clinical settings other than those currently approved; however, the use of ceftaroline in these contexts deserves further investigation.

Comparative-effectiveness of ceftaroline and daptomycin as first-line MRSA therapy for patients with sepsis admitted to hospitals in the United States Veterans Health Care System

Objectives: This study compared hospital readmission and mortality for patients with sepsis who received ceftaroline or daptomycin as first-line MRSA therapy.Methods: This retrospective comparative-effectiveness study included adults ≥18 years old hospitalized in the United States Veterans Health Care System with sepsis between 10/1/2010-9/30/2014, who received ceftaroline or daptomycin within 14 days of hospital admission as the first antibiotic effective against methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Patients with pneumonia, and those who received both study drugs, were excluded. Baseline characteristics were compared using Chi-square, Fischer's exact, Student's t, and Wilcoxon Rank Sum tests. Patient outcomes were compared with multivariable logistic regression models.Results: 409 patients were included (ceftaroline = 67, daptomycin = 342). Ceftaroline patients were older, less likely to be Black, more likely to have diabetes with complications, and had higher Charlson comorbidity scores. Median (interquartile range) time from admission to drug initiation was 1 (0-1) day for ceftaroline and 1 (1-3) day for daptomycin (p = 0.01). Unadjusted hospital readmission rates for ceftaroline and daptomycin, respectively, were: 30-day (25%/37%, p = 0.06), 60-day (27%/44%, p = 0.008), and 90-day (28%/46%, p = 0.01). Unadjusted mortality rates were: in-hospital (7%/12%, p = 0.4), 30-day (3%/9%, p = 0.1), 60-day (6%/12%, p = 0.2), and 90-day (7%/15%, p = 0.1). In multivariable models with all divergent baseline characteristics included as covariates, patients treated with ceftaroline were less likely to experience (OR, 95% CI): 30/60/90-day hospital readmission (0.54, 0.29-0.98; 0.42, 0.23-0.76; 0.42, 0.23-0.75) and 30/60/90-day mortality (0.23, 0.04-0.82; 0.34, 0.10-0.93; 0.34, 0.11-0.86).Conclusion: In patients with sepsis, ceftaroline was associated with fewer hospital readmissions and lower mortality as compared to daptomycin. Prospective investigations in larger, more generalized cohorts are needed to examine outcomes with specific MRSA therapies.

Ceftaroline as salvage therapy for complicated MRSA bacteremia: case series and analysis

INTRODUCTION

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bloodstream infection (BSI) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in hospitalized patients. Ceftaroline fosamil (CPT) is the only available beta-lactam antibiotic with in vitro and in vivo activities against MRSA. There is currently limited clinical experience with CPT in complicated MRSA BSI.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We report a series of eight patients, including three whose strains had reduced susceptibility to vancomycin.

RESULTS

CPT monotherapy was successfully used as salvage therapy for complicated MRSA BSI. The median time to documented clearance was 7 days.

CONCLUSION

Ceftaroline monotherapy is effective for clearance of refractory MRSA BSI related to implanted devices, endocarditis, and orthopedic infections.

Ceftaroline fosamil for the treatment of Gram-positive endocarditis: CAPTURE study experience

BACKGROUND

The clinical experience of ceftaroline fosamil (CPT-F) therapy for Gram-positive infective endocarditis is reported from CAPTURE, a retrospective study conducted in the USA.

METHODS

Data, including patient demographics, medical history, risk factors, microbiological aetiology and clinical outcomes, were collected by review of patient charts between September 2013 and February 2015.

RESULTS

Patients (n=55) with Gram-positive endocarditis were treated with CPT-F. The most common risk factors were intravascular devices (43.6%), diabetes mellitus (40.0%) and injection drug use (38.2%). The most commonly isolated pathogens were meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA; 80%), meticillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA; 7.3%) and coagulase-negative staphylococci (7.3%). CPT-F was given as first-line therapy in 7.3% of patients and as second-line or later therapy in 92.7% of patients, and as monotherapy in 41.8% of patients and as concurrent therapy in 58.2% of patients. Clinical success was observed in 82.6% (19/23) of patients treated with CPT-F as monotherapy. In patients treated with CPT-F as first-line therapy or second-line or later therapy, 75.0% (3/4) and 70.6% (36/51) achieved success, respectively. Clinical success was observed in 77.3% (34/44) of patients with MRSA and 25% (1/4) of patients with MSSA. Two patients discontinued treatment with CPT-F due to an adverse event.

CONCLUSIONS

CPT-F treatment was associated with a high rate of clinical success in patients with Gram-positive infective endocarditis, including those with risk factors and infections caused by MRSA. A high rate of clinical success was observed in patients treated with CPT-F used as first- line therapy or second-line or later therapy, or as monotherapy or in combination with other antibiotics.

Synergistic antibacterial mechanism of Bi2Te3 nanoparticles combined with the ineffective β-lactam antibiotic cefotaxime against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections have become a serious threat to public health because traditional antibiotics are less efficient. Here, we developed a simple and efficient combination of Bi₂Te₃ nanoparticles (NPs) with β-lactam antibiotics cefotaxime (CTX), which presented significant synergistic antibacterial activity against MRSA. The minimal inhibitory concentration of CTX decreased from 256 to 32 μg/mL in the presence of 8 μg/mL Bi₂Te₃ NPs. The results of cell membrane potential and cellular K⁺ content measurements demonstrated that the destruction of membrane functions is a factor in the synergistic mechanism. Furthermore, the induction of cellular reactive oxygen species generation, inhibition of β-lactamases induced by CTX and direct damage to the cell structure constituted other factors of the synergistic mechanism. These observations suggest that reviving the efficacy of ineffective β-lactam antibiotic CTX by Bi₂Te₃ NPs may be a potentially effective therapeutic strategy to overcome refractory MRSA infections.

A Mini-Review on Ceftaroline in Bacteremia Patients with Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) Infections

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this review is to describe the outcomes of patients treated with ceftaroline in the non-Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved indication of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections in both pediatric and adult populations.

DATA SOURCES

A systematic overview was conducted by searching PubMed, Medline, and The Cochrane Library up to January 2019.

STUDY SELECTION AND DATA EXTRACTION

All English-language clinical trials and case reports related to the efficacy of ceftaroline in new, not-yet-approved FDA indications in MRSA infections in pediatric or adult populations.

DATA SYNTHESIS

In the case of MRSA bacteremia (MRSAB) infections, three different randomized studies in pediatric patients showed effectiveness of ceftaroline. When used in the case of adult populations with MRSA bacteremia, a small trial of 16 patients showed 50% clinical success in patients with acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections versus 63% clinical success in patients with community-acquired bacterial pneumonia. Another case series of six refractory case reports showed 50% clinical success of ceftaroline in patients with MRSA.

CONCLUSIONS

Although there are few case reports and limited data to date, ceftaroline fosamil should continue to be studied as an alternative therapy in MRSA infections in both pediatric and adult populations. Clinical success rates of ceftaroline were, in most cases, considered high when treating patients with MRSA infection. More clinical trials need to be studied. In the specific case of MRSA bacteremia, the treatment options remain few and ceftaroline should be extensively studied for the salvage treatment of MRSAB.

Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Prosthetic Valve Endocarditis: Pathophysiology, Epidemiology, Clinical Presentation, Diagnosis, and Management

Staphylococcus aureus prosthetic valve endocarditis (PVE) remains among the most morbid bacterial infections, with mortality estimates ranging from 40% to 80%. The proportion of PVE cases due to methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has grown in recent decades, to account for more than 15% of cases of S. aureus PVE and 6% of all cases of PVE. Because no large studies or clinical trials for PVE have been published, most guidelines on the diagnosis and management of MRSA PVE rely upon expert opinion and data from animal models or related conditions (e.g., coagulase-negative Staphylococcus infection). We performed a review of the literature on MRSA PVE to summarize data on pathogenic mechanisms and updates in epidemiology and therapeutic management and to inform diagnostic strategies and priority areas where additional clinical and laboratory data will be particularly useful to guide therapy. Major updates discussed in this review include novel diagnostics, indications for surgical management, the utility of aminoglycosides in medical therapy, and a review of newer antistaphylococcal agents used for the management of MRSA PVE.

Naphthylthiazoles: Targeting Multidrug-Resistant and Intracellular Staphylococcus aureus with Biofilm Disruption Activity

Thirty-two new naphthylthiazole derivatives were synthesized with the aim of exploring their antimicrobial effect on multidrug-resistant Gram-positive bacteria. Compounds 25 and 32, with ethylenediamine and methylguanidine side chains, represent the most promising derivatives, as their antibacterial spectrum includes activity against multidrug-resistant staphylococcal and enterococcal strains. Moreover, the new derivatives are highly advantageous over the existing frontline therapeutics for the treatment of multidrug-resistant Gram-positive bacteria. In this vein, compound 25 possesses three attributes: no bacterial resistance was developed against it even after 15 passages, it was very efficient in targeting intracellular pathogens, and it exhibited a concentration-dependent ability to disrupt the preformed bacterial biofilm.

Treatment strategies for persistent methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia

WHAT IS KNOWN AND OBJECTIVE

Treatment of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bacteraemia is a long-standing challenge to health care, often complicated by metastatic infections, treatment failure and mortality. When MRSA bacteraemia persists despite adequate initial treatment, current Infectious Diseases Society of America guidelines recommend evaluation and removal of possible sources of infection. In addition, a change in therapy may be considered. The objective of this review was to explore the therapeutic options for the treatment of persistent MRSA bacteraemia.

METHODS

A literature search of PubMed, MEDLINE and Google Scholar was performed using the following search terms: [methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus OR MRSA] AND [bacteraemia OR bloodstream infection] AND [persistent OR persistence OR refractory OR treatment failure OR salvage] AND treatment. We evaluated relevant, adult, English-language, peer-reviewed studies published between 1985 and May 2018. In vitro and animal studies were considered as supportive of in vivo data.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Randomized, controlled trials are lacking. However, case series and case reports support multiple treatment options including high-dose daptomycin in combination with an antistaphylococcal β-lactam, ceftaroline, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX) or fosfomycin; ceftaroline alone or in combination with vancomycin or TMP-SMX; linezolid alone or in combination with a carbapenem, or telavancin.

WHAT IS NEW AND CONCLUSION

Given the heterogeneity of the data, a preferred regimen has not emerged. Prescribers must take into consideration recent exposure, source control, and available synergy and clinical data. Further comparative trials are needed to establish a preferred regimen and the creation of a universal treatment algorithm.

Management Considerations in Infective Endocarditis: A Review

IMPORTANCE

Infective endocarditis occurs in approximately 15 of 100 000 people in the United States and has increased in incidence. Clinicians must make treatment decisions with respect to prophylaxis, surgical management, specific antibiotics, and the length of treatment in the setting of emerging, sometimes inconclusive clinical research findings.

OBSERVATIONS

Community-associated infective endocarditis remains the predominant form of the disease; however, health care accounts for one-third of cases in high-income countries. As medical interventions are increasingly performed on older patients, the disease incidence from cardiac implanted electronic devices is also increasing. In addition, younger patients involved with intravenous drug use has increased in the past decade and with it the proportion of US hospitalization has increased to more than 10%. These epidemiological factors have led to Staphylococcus aureus being the most common cause in high-income countries, accounting for up to 40% of cases. The mainstays of diagnosis are still echocardiography and blood cultures. Adjunctive imaging such as cardiac computed tomographic and nuclear imaging can improve the sensitivity for diagnosis when echocardiography is not conclusive. Serological studies, histopathology, and polymerase chain reaction assays have distinct roles in the diagnosis of infective endocarditis when blood culture have tested negative with the highest yield obtained from serological studies. Increasing antibiotic resistance, particularly to S aureus, has led to a need for different antibiotic treatment options such as newer antibiotics and combination therapy regimens. Surgery can confer a survival benefit to patients with major complications; however, the decision to pursue surgery must balance the risks and benefits of operations in these frequently high-risk patients.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

The epidemiology and management of infective endocarditis are continually changing. Guidelines provide specific recommendations about management; however, careful attention to individual patient characteristics, pathogen, and risk of sequela must be considered when making therapeutic decisions.

Ceftaroline for the treatment of osteomyelitis caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus: a case series

Despite limited clinical data, ceftaroline is commonly used for treatment of complicated, invasive infections caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). A retrospective chart review was conducted of adult patients receiving ceftaroline for MRSA osteomyelitis admitted between April 2011 and March 2016 at a five-hospital system. Twelve patients met the inclusion criteria. All patients received prior antimicrobial therapy with a median time to switch to ceftaroline of 45.5 days. Five of the 12 patients (41.7%) met criteria for ceftaroline failure. Patients with vertebral osteomyelitis (58%) had a longer length of stay, longer ceftaroline treatment, but similar success rates to those with non-vertebral osteomyelitis (57% vs. 60%). Ceftaroline is a viable alternative for a challenging patient population that has failed or are unable to receive other therapies.

Comparative analysis of neutropenia in patients receiving prolonged treatment with ceftaroline

Objectives

Ceftaroline is often used in durations greater than that studied in clinical trials. Several retrospective, non-comparative studies have suggested a higher than anticipated incidence of neutropenia in patients receiving prolonged treatment with ceftaroline. We sought to determine if ceftaroline was associated with neutropenia by comparing the incidence with ceftaroline treatment with treatment with several comparative antibiotics.

Methods

Patients receiving 14 or more consecutive days of treatment with ceftaroline were compared with patients receiving cefazolin, daptomycin, linezolid, nafcillin or vancomycin (control group). The primary outcome was the development of neutropenia. Multivariate logistic regression and propensity score weighting using inverse probability weights with regression adjustment were used to control for confounding variables.

Results

A total of 753 patients were included (53 that received ceftaroline and 700 that received a comparative antibiotic). Ceftaroline was associated with a greater incidence of neutropenia as compared with the control group (17.0% versus 3.9%, P < 0.001). Several covariates were also associated with neutropenia and included younger age, lower baseline absolute neutrophil count, liver disease and bone and joint infections. After controlling for these confounders, receipt of ceftaroline continued to be associated with the development of neutropenia (adjusted OR 3.97, P = 0.003). Analysis after propensity score weighting confirmed this finding.

Conclusions

The results of this study suggest that prolonged treatment with ceftaroline is associated with a greater incidence of neutropenia as compared with other antibiotics that are often used for treatment of staphylococcal infections. Careful monitoring of absolute neutrophil count is recommended in patients receiving >14 days of ceftaroline.

Rate and Incidence of Adverse Reactions Associated With Ceftaroline Exposure: Importance of Cutaneous Manifestations

BACKGROUND

Ceftaroline is a broad-spectrum, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)-active β-lactam approved for acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections (ABSSSIs) and community-acquired pneumonia. Because of its favorable spectrum and pharmacokinetics, ceftaroline is frequently utilized for infections such as osteomyelitis and endocarditis. Ceftaroline has been associated with neutropenia, but evaluation of other adverse events remains limited.

OBJECTIVE

To describe the rates and types of ceftaroline-associated adverse events and determine if patients' baseline allergies affect the rates of an adverse event.

METHODS

A single-center, retrospective, observational analysis was conducted of all patients who received ceftaroline between November 4, 2011, and March 28, 2017, at the VA Saint Louis Health Care System. The Naranjo algorithm was utilized as a standardized method to evaluate likelihood that the adverse events were caused by ceftaroline therapy. Ceftaroline dose, duration, indication, and baseline allergy information were collected for all patients.

RESULTS

There were 75 patients who received 78 courses of ceftaroline identified for inclusion. The most common indications were osteomyelitis (51.3%) and ABSSSI (16.7%). Overall, 13/75 (17.3%) patients developed an adverse event, and 10/75 (13.3%) required discontinuation of ceftaroline. Rash was the most common adverse reaction and occurred in 7/75 (9.3%) patients, followed by neutropenia in 3/75 (4.0%) patients. There were no differences in baseline allergy characteristics between patients who experienced an adverse reaction to ceftaroline and those who did not.

CONCLUSIONS

When compared with clinical trials, ceftaroline use appears to be associated with an increased rate of overall adverse events, which is driven by cutaneous reactions.

Current and future treatment options for community-associated MRSA infection

INTRODUCTION

Community-associated MRSA (CA-MRSA) represents a global epidemic which beautifully encapsulates the fascinating ability of bacterial organisms to adapt quickly on an evolutionary basis to the extreme selective pressure of antibiotic exposure. In stark contrast to Healthcare-associated MRSA (HA-MRSA), it has become apparent that CA-MRSA is less straight forward of a challenge in terms of controlling its transmission, and has forced clinicians to adjust empiric management of clinical syndromes such as skin and soft tissue infection (SSTI) as well as pneumonia.

AREAS COVERED

This review details the history and epidemiology of CA-MRSA, while covering both current and future treatment options that are and may be available to clinicians. The authors reviewed both historic and more recent literature on this ever-evolving topic.

EXPERT OPINION

While development of new anti-MRSA agents should be encouraged, the importance of antimicrobial stewardship in the battle to stay ahead of the curve with regards to the ongoing control of the MRSA epidemic should be emphasised.

Treating Central Catheter-Associated Bacteremia Due to Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus: Beyond Vancomycin

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus is a frequent cause of hospital-associated infections, including central catheter-associated bacteremia. Vancomycin has been the drug of choice for treating this type of bacteremia for decades in patients who have no contraindications to the antibiotic. However, resistance to vancomycin is an emerging problem. Newer antibiotics approved by the Food and Drug Administration have activity against methicillin-resistant S aureus Some of the antibiotics also have activity against strains of S aureus that are intermediately susceptible or resistant to vancomycin. This article uses a case study to highlight the clinical signs of vancomycin failure and describes the indications for and appropriate use of alternative antimicrobials such as ceftaroline, daptomycin, linezolid, tigecycline, and telavancin. (Critical Care Nurse 2016;36[4]:46-57).

Experience with ceftaroline for treatment of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus pneumonia in a community hospital

Background: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is an organism causing significant mortality and morbidity with nosocomial infections. Ceftaroline is a new cephalosporin antibiotic that has activity against MRSA. In the USA, this antibiotic has not been approved for use in pneumonia caused by MRSA.

Objectives: To review the use of ceftaroline in MRSA pneumonia in a US hospital and evaluate its clinical success.

Methods: A retrospective study was conducted in an urban community hospital assessing the use of ceftaroline for MRSA pneumonia.

Results: The clinical success was comparable to the currently approved treatment for MRSA pneumonia.

Conclusion: The results of our study showed a favorable result for the treatment of MRSA pneumonia. Well-designed studies need to be performed for further validation of these results.

Successful treatment of community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus purulent myopericarditis

A previously healthy 48-year-old active duty man, who had been treated for an elbow abscess 3 weeks earlier, presented to an emergency department in Bahrain with tachycardia, pericardial friction rub and jugular venous distention. Cardiac tamponade was confirmed on transthoracic echocardiogram and he was taken for emergent pericardiocentesis. Pericardial fluid cultures grew community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus Despite ongoing treatment with intravenous vancomycin, he developed a recurrent fibrinous pericardial effusion and constrictive pericarditis requiring pericardiectomy. Though he initially did well postoperatively, he developed drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms syndrome in response to vancomycin. He was transitioned to ceftaroline and started on high-dose steroids. He recovered during a week-long admission and was discharged home. Several weeks later at follow-up he was doing well and had resumed moderate intensity exercise.

Gordonia sternal wound infection treated with ceftaroline: case report and literature review

Introduction. Case reports have emerged with identification of Gordonia bronchialis infections including sternal wound infections and foreign bodies such as central lines and shunts. Case presentation. We present a case that demonstrates the need to consider Gordonia infection as a cause of sternal wound infection and highlights the utility of novel diagnostics to aid in the identification of unusual pathogens that can cause post-operative infections. We report here the first successful use of ceftaroline for treatment of a G. bronchialis sternal wound infection. Conclusion. There are only case reports and in vitro assays to date to guide treatment of this infection, and we now add ceftaroline as a new drug to consider, though adequate surgical debridement is paramount.

Early Use of Ceftaroline Fosamil in the United States Veterans Health Care System

BACKGROUND

Ceftaroline fosamil is US Food and Drug Administration-approved for acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections and community-acquired bacterial pneumonia, but it is not known how ceftaroline is being used in real-world settings or how adverse effects (AEs) and mortality compare to clinical trials.

OBJECTIVE

This study describes ceftaroline use, AEs, and mortality in US Veterans Health Administration (VHA) hospital patients.

METHODS

This phase IV, population-based, epidemiologic study analyzed patients ≥18 years old who received one or more ceftaroline doses within 14 days of admission to 69 VHA hospitals in 41 US states/territories from 1 October 2010 to 30 September 2014. VHA repository data were linked using unique patient identifiers. Diagnoses and AEs were determined using ICD9-CM and CSS codes. Demographics, AEs within 30 days of therapy initiation, and all-cause in-hospital mortality were summarized using descriptive statistics.

RESULTS

764 Patients met study criteria. Patients were 97% male and 56% White, with a median age of 61 years and a Charlson score of 6. Diagnoses included skin (40%), sepsis (30%), osteomyelitis (25%), diabetic foot (22%), pneumonia (16%), bacteremia (11%), endocarditis (6%), meningitis (2%), and device (2%) infections. Ceftaroline was used first-line (37%), second-line (56%), and third-line or greater (7%). Patients received ceftaroline a median of 3 days after hospital admission. All-cause in-hospital mortality rates were: overall (5%), skin (2%), sepsis (9%), osteomyelitis (3%), diabetic foot (1%), pneumonia (13%), bacteremia (6%), endocarditis (11%), meningitis (6%), and device (13%). Eosinophilia, leukopenia, leukocytosis, fibromyalgia, myalgia and myositis, and polymyalgia rates were <1% each.

CONCLUSIONS

Ceftaroline is used in VHA hospitals for various diagnoses. Mortality was low and comparable with rates from clinical trials. Additional studies comparing ceftaroline to other drugs used in similar situations are needed.

Physical and chemical stability of ceftaroline in an elastomeric infusion device

Background

Severe infections such as endocarditis and osteomyelitis require long-term treatment with parenteral antibiotics and hence prolonged hospitalisation. Continuous infusion of ceftaroline through elastomeric devices can facilitate early hospital discharge by managing parenteral antibiotics in patient's home. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the stability of ceftaroline in a commonly used elastomeric device.

Method

A total of 24 elastomeric devices were prepared, and six elastomeric devices containing 6mg/mL of ceftaroline (three in each type of diluents) were stored at one of the following conditions: 4°C for 6 days, 25°C for 24hours, 30°C for 24hours or 35°C for 24hours. An aliquot was withdrawn before storage and at different time points. Chemical stability was measured using a stability indicating high-performance liquid chromatography, and physical stability was assessed as change in pH, colour and particle content.

Results

Ceftaroline, when admixed with both diluents, was stable for 144, 24 and 12hours at 4°C, 25°C and 30°C, respectively. At 35°C, ceftaroline admixed with normal saline (NS) and glucose 5% was stable for 12hours and for 6hours, respectively. No evidence of particle formation, colour change or pH change was observed throughout the study period.

Conclusions

Our findings support 12 or 24hours continuous elastomeric infusion of ceftaroline-NS admixture, and bulk preparation of elastomeric pumps containing ceftaroline solution in advance. This would facilitate early hospital discharge of patients eligible for the elastomeric-based home therapy and avoid the need for patient's caregivers travelling to the hospital on a daily basis.

Antibiotic Classification and Indication Review for the Infusion Nurse

Outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy (OPAT) has become an increasingly common practice for the treatment of infections. The infusion nurse plays a vital role in administering, monitoring, and educating patients about parenteral antibiotics, while bridging communication between the patient and OPAT team. It is important for the infusion nurse to know common indications, adverse effects, monitoring parameters, and the mechanism of action for antibiotics used in OPAT to provide optimal patient care. This review includes those antibiotics, which are frequently administered or recently approved with a high likelihood of being used in OPAT.

Ceftaroline for Severe Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Infections: A Systematic Review

Ceftaroline is approved by the Food and Drug Administration for acute bacterial skin and skin-structure infections and community-acquired bacterial pneumonia, including cases with concurrent bacteremia. Use for serious methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections has risen for a multitude of reasons. The aim of this article is to review the literature evaluating clinical outcomes and safety of ceftaroline prescribed for serious MRSA infections. We conducted a literature search in Ovid (Medline) and PubMed for reputable case reports, clinical trials, and reviews focusing on the use of ceftaroline for treatment of MRSA infections. Twenty-two manuscripts published between 2010 and 2016 met inclusion criteria. Mean clinical cure was 74% across 379 patients treated with ceftaroline for severe MRSA infections. Toxicities were infrequent. Ceftaroline treatment resulted in clinical and microbiologic cure for severe MRSA infections. Close monitoring of hematological parameters is necessary with prolonged courses of ceftaroline.

Ceftaroline fosamil monotherapy for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia: a comparative clinical outcomes study

OBJECTIVES

Vancomycin is the treatment of choice for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bacteremia; however, its use has been subject to scrutiny due to failure in severe infections. Ceftaroline fosamil (CPT-F) is approved for MRSA acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections, but not for bloodstream infections. The clinical outcomes of treatment with CPT-F in patients with MRSA bacteremia were evaluated.

METHODS

Patients diagnosed with MRSA bacteremia at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, Michigan, USA, involving isolates with a vancomycin minimum inhibitory concentration ≥1.0mg/l and susceptible in vitro to CPT-F, were systematically reviewed retrospectively. Ceftaroline fosamil-treated patients were matched with at least two vancomycin- and/or one daptomycin-treated control patient based on age-patients age 65 years or greater or less than 65 years of age. Outcomes evaluated included the duration of hospitalization, duration of therapy, adverse events, relapse, hospital readmission, and death.

RESULTS

Thirty consecutive cases of MRSA bacteremia treated with CPT-F during the period May 2011 to June 2013 were identified; these patients were matched to 56 MRSA bacteremia patients treated with vancomycin and 46 MRSA bacteremia patients treated with daptomycin. The primary source of MRSA bacteremia in the cohort treated with CPT-F was endocarditis (n=7, 23%), skin/wound (n=9, 30%), and bone/joint (n=8, 27%). The MRSA bacteremia in those treated with CPT-F was community-acquired in 43% of cases, healthcare-associated in 43%, and hospital-acquired in 13%. The mean length of hospital stay for these patients was 22 days. The overall 30-day mortality rate was 13% (n=4) in CPT-F patients versus 24% (n=11) in daptomycin patients and 11% (n=6) in vancomycin patients (p=0.188).

CONCLUSIONS

CPT-F demonstrated comparable clinical outcomes in MRSA bacteremia patients compared with the other agents, especially as salvage therapy.

Ceftaroline for the treatment of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia

PURPOSE

The utility of ceftaroline for the treatment of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia (MRSAB) is reviewed.

SUMMARY

Ceftaroline was originally approved for the treatment of community-acquired bacterial pneumonia (CABP) and acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections (ABSSSIs) but recently received an additional approval for the treatment of S. aureus bacteremia (SAB) associated with ABSSSIs. Ceftaroline has demonstrated efficacy for the treatment of MRSAB, including isolates with elevated minimum inhibitory concentrations to conventional therapy when used alone or in combination with other agents. In multiple studies, ceftaroline has displayed rapid bloodstream eradication, even in the setting of refractory MRSAB or infective endocarditis. The clinical resolution of MRSAB or SAB in patients who received ceftaroline ranged from 31.0% to 83.3%; studies used varying definitions for clinical resolution and included differing proportions of patients with endocarditis. The use of ceftaroline in treatment-refractory patients and assorted populations makes absolute effectiveness difficult to determine. Ceftaroline has been shown to be effective in patients who have not responded to other agents for MRSAB, making it an attractive option for such patients. Although the approved dosing regimen for ceftaroline fosamil is 600 mg every 12 hours for patients with normal renal function for the treatment of ABSSSIs and CABP, there is some debate about whether more frequent doses (i.e., every 8 hours) are needed for MRSAB.

CONCLUSION

Ceftaroline has been used to successfully treat SAB, including endocarditis. Therapy with ceftaroline may be considered when antibiotic resistance or previous treatment failure precludes the use of first-line agents.

Multicenter Observational Study of Ceftaroline Fosamil for Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Bloodstream Infections

Novel therapies for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bloodstream infection (BSI) are needed in the setting of reduced antibiotic susceptibilities and therapeutic failure. Ceftaroline is a cephalosporin antibiotic with MRSA activity. Although not FDA approved for MRSA BSI, ceftaroline has generated much interest as a potential treatment option. However, detailed descriptions of its use in this setting remain limited. To address this, we conducted a retrospective, multicenter, observational study of adult patients with MRSA BSI treated with at least 72 h of ceftaroline from 2011 to 2015. Safety outcomes were examined in the overall cohort, while efficacy outcomes were examined among patients who had not cleared their BSI prior to ceftaroline initiation. Data were also stratified by ceftaroline monotherapy or combination therapy. Predictors of clinical failure on ceftaroline treatment were also sought. Overall, 211 patients were included in the safety population; Clostridium difficile infection, rash, and neutropenia occurred in 6 patients (2.8%), 7 patients (3.3%), and 3 patients (1.4%), respectively. Clinical success was observed in 86 (68.3%) of the 126 patients included in the efficacy population. The monotherapy and combination therapy subgroups had similar proportions of patients experiencing success (69.7 and 64.9%, respectively). The median BSI durations post-ceftaroline treatment were 2 days (interquartile range, 1 to 4 days) for monotherapy and 3 days (interquartile range, 1.5 to 5 days) for combination therapy. Higher acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II scores and comorbid malignancy independently predicted treatment failure. Ceftaroline appears effective for MRSA BSI as both monotherapy and combination therapy. However, comparative studies are needed to further delineate the role of ceftaroline in MRSA BSI treatment.

Treatment of Staphylococcus aureus Infections

Staphylococcus aureus, although generally identified as a commensal, is also a common cause of human bacterial infections, including of the skin and other soft tissues, bones, bloodstream, and respiratory tract. The history of S. aureus treatment is marked by the development of resistance to each new class of antistaphylococcal antimicrobial drugs, including the penicillins, sulfonamides, tetracyclines, glycopeptides, and others, complicating therapy. S. aureus isolates identified in the 1960s were sometimes resistant to methicillin, a ß-lactam antimicrobial active initially against a majority S. aureus strains. These MRSA isolates, resistant to nearly all ß-lactam antimicrobials, were first largely confined to the health care environment and the patients who attended it. However, in the mid-1990s, new strains, known as community-associated (CA-) MRSA strains, emerged. CA-MRSA organisms, compared with health care-associated (HA-) MRSA strain types, are more often susceptible to multiple classes of non ß-lactam antimicrobials. While infections caused by methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA) strains are usually treated with drugs in the ß-lactam class, such as cephalosporins, oxacillin or nafcillin, MRSA infections are treated with drugs in other antimicrobial classes. The glycopeptide drug vancomycin, and in some countries teicoplanin, is the most common drug used to treat severe MRSA infections. There are now other classes of antimicrobials available to treat staphylococcal infections, including several that have been approved after 2009. The antimicrobial management of invasive and noninvasive S. aureus infections in the ambulatory and in-patient settings is the topic of this review. Also discussed are common adverse effects of antistaphylococcal antimicrobial agents, advantages of one agent over another for specific clinical syndromes, and the use of adjunctive therapies such as surgery and intravenous immunoglobulin. We have detailed considerations in the therapy of noninvasive and invasive S. aureus infections. This is followed by sections on specific clinical infectious syndromes including skin and soft tissue infections, bacteremia, endocarditis and intravascular infections, pneumonia, osteomyelitis and vertebral discitis, epidural abscess, septic arthritis, pyomyositis, mastitis, necrotizing fasciitis, orbital infections, endophthalmitis, parotitis, staphylococcal toxinoses, urogenital infections, and central nervous system infections.

Use of Ceftaroline Fosamil in Children: Review of Current Knowledge and its Application

Ceftaroline is a novel cephalosporin recently approved in children for treatment of acute bacterial skin and soft tissue infections and community-acquired bacterial pneumonia (CABP) caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae and other susceptible bacteria. With a favorable tolerability profile and efficacy proven in pediatric patients and excellent in vitro activity against resistant Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, ceftaroline may serve as a therapeutic option for polymicrobial infections, CABP caused by penicillin- and ceftriaxone-resistant S. pneumoniae and resistant Gram-positive infections that fail first-line antimicrobial agents. However, limited data are available on tolerability in neonates and infants younger than 2 months of age, and on pharmacokinetic characteristics in children with chronic medical conditions and those with invasive, complicated infections. In this review, the microbiological profile of ceftaroline, its mechanism of action, and pharmacokinetic profile will be presented. Additionally, clinical evidence for use in pediatric patients and proposed place in therapy is discussed.

Synergistic antibacterial effect of Bi2S3 nanospheres combined with ineffective antibiotic gentamicin against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus

In this paper, Bi₂S₃ nanospheres with size of 212nm were prepared by a simple hydrothermal process. The selectively enhanced antibacterial effects of Bi₂S₃ nanospheres with three classes of ineffective antibiotics, β-lactam (cefuroxime, CXM; cefotaxime, CTX and piperacillin, PIP), quinolone (ciprofloxacin, CIP) and aminoglycoside (gentamicin, GEN) against clinical isolated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) were investigated for the first time. GEN shows significantly synergistic growth inhibition against MRSA when combined with Bi₂S₃ nanospheres, while CXM, CTX, PIP and CIP do not. Raman spectroscopy and Z potential studies reveal that Bi₂S₃ could interact with GEN and the combination showed small electronegativity, which probably induced the increase of GEN content in cytoplasm of bacteria. Furthermore, the combination of Bi₂S₃ nanospheres and GEN can destroy the bacterial membrane function and induce more bactericidal reactive oxygen generation than that of Bi₂S₃ or GEN alone. The cytotoxicity test indicates that the combination of Bi₂S₃ and GEN presented low toxicity to human normal hepatocyte L02. This work shows that Bi₂S₃ nanospheres can be used to enhance the action of ineffective antibiotic GEN against MRSA, thus strengthening the antibiotic capacity for fighting MRSA infections.

Ceftaroline as Salvage Monotherapy for Persistent MRSA Bacteremia

OBJECTIVE

To summarize published data regarding the use of ceftaroline as salvage monotherapy for persistent methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bacteremia.

DATA SOURCES

PubMed (January 1980-June 2016) was searched using combinations of the search terms methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, MRSA, bacteremia, ceftaroline, refractory, and persistent Supplemental references were generated through review of identified literature citations.

STUDY SELECTION AND DATA EXTRACTION

Available English-language, full-text articles pertaining to the use of ceftaroline for persistent MRSA bacteremia (MRSAB) were included.

DATA SYNTHESIS

The PubMed search yielded 23 articles for evaluation. There are no randomized controlled trials to date-only case series and reports. Four retrospective case series detailing the use of ceftaroline as monotherapy for persistent MRSAB were included. Most patients received at least 4 days of an appropriate anti-MRSA antimicrobial prior to ceftaroline and were able to clear bacteremia within 3 days. The most common rationales for ceftaroline use were progression of disease or nonresponse to current therapy. Higher off-label dosing of ceftaroline is often utilized to achieve optimal pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic parameters. Adverse events are not well described due to lack of follow-up; however, neutropenia has been associated with prolonged use.

CONCLUSIONS

Treatment options for persistent MRSAB remain few and far between. Ceftaroline is an effective agent for the salvage treatment of MRSAB. Off-label doses up to 600 mg every 8 hours are often used to achieve optimal pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic parameters. Because of lack of follow-up in these reports, the incidence of adverse effects of prolonged use of ceftaroline is not well defined.