A review of Streptococcus pneumoniae infection treatment failures associated with fluoroquinolone resistance.

We reviewed all of the published reports of cases of fluoroquinolone treatment failures for respiratory tract infection due to fluoroquinolone-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae. There were 20 ciprofloxacin and levofloxacin treatment failures reported. Physicians should be aware, when treating pneumococcal respiratory tract infections in older patients with a fluoroquinolone, that clinical failures might occur, especially for patients with comorbid illnesses and a history of recent fluoroquinolone use.