Quinolones in perspective.

Fluoroquinolones have been in use for the past five years. The agents inhibit Enterobacteriaceae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and staphylococci, but some agents lack activity against streptococci and none of the commercially available agents inhibits anaerobic species. The fluoroquinolones possess many pharmacological advantages which have made them excellent therapy for urinary, selected respiratory, gastrointestinal, skin, soft tissue, bone, and sexually transmitted infections. They have also proved useful as prophylaxis in neutropenic patients. A major problem for the future is that inappropriate and indiscriminate use of quinolones will cause rapid development of resistance, particularly among staphylococci and P. aeruginosa.