Linezolid - the first oxazolidinone in the treatment of nosocomial MRSA pneumonia.

The incidence of nosocomial pneumonia involving multi-drug resistant Staphylococcus aureus strains (MRSA) in particular is on the rise worldwide. For years, vancomycin has been used as the drug of choice in the treatment of MRSA infections and was recommended as such by clinical guidelines. Inadequate drug levels in pulmonary compartments due to large molecular size may be the cause of the comparatively low survival rates of patients with MRSA pneumonia treated with vancomycin, despite in vitro susceptibility of the bacterial isolates.