Linezolid for the treatment of a heteroresistant Staphylococcus aureus shunt infection.

The emergence of multidrug-resistant bacteria as the cause of ventriculoperitoneal shunt infections is a disconcerting phenomenon that often requires the use of alternative antimicrobials due to resistance against commonly used agents. The following is a case report describing the successful treatment of a ventriculoperitoneal shunt infection caused by a heteroresistant strain of Staphylococcus aureus with linezolid. Linezolid may have utility in treating pediatric CNS infections due to its tolerability, excellent blood-brain barrier penetration, and activity against multiple resistant Gram-positive organisms such as S. aureus, vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium and Streptococcus pneumoniae.