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Levofloxacin (trade names Levaquin (US), Tavanic (EU), and others) is a broad-spectrum antibiotic of the fluoroquinolone drug class, and the levo isomer of its predecessor ofloxacin. Levofloxacin is used alone or in combination with other antibacterial drugs to treat certain bacterial infections including pneumonia, urinary tract infections, and abdominal infections. Levofloxacin and other fluoroquinolones are valued for their broad spectrum of activity, excellent tissue penetration, and for their availability in both oral and intravenous formulations. Levofloxacin and other fluoroquinolones are generally well tolerated, but in rare instances have produced serious adverse reactions such as spontaneous tendon ruptures and irreversible peripheral neuropathy.〔http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/ucm365050.htm〕 Tendon damage may manifest months after therapy had been completed. Levofloxacin may cause worsening of myasthenia gravis symptoms, including muscle weakness and breathing problems.〔(label )〕 Levofloxacin and later generation fluoroquinolones are collectively referred to as "respiratory quinolones" to distinguish them from earlier fluoroquinolones which exhibited modest activity toward the important respiratory pathogen ''Streptococcus pneumoniae''. It is on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines, the most important medications needed in a basic health system. ==Medical uses== Levofloxacin is used to treat infections including: respiratory tract infections, cellulitis, urinary tract infections, prostatitis, anthrax, endocarditis, meningitis, pelvic inflammatory disease, traveler's diarrhea, tuberculosis and plague.〔(【引用サイトリンク】url=http://www.drugs.com/monograph/levofloxacin.html )〕 The drug exhibits enhanced activity against the important respiratory pathogen ''Streptococcus pneumoniae'' relative to earlier fluoroquinolone derivatives like ciprofloxacin. For this reason, it is considered a "respiratory fluoroquinolone" along with more recently developed fluoroquinolones such as moxifloxacin and gemifloxacin. It is less active than ciprofloxacin against Gram-negative bacteria, especially ''Pseudomonas aeruginosa'', and lacks the anti-methicillin-resistant ''Staphylococcus aureus'' (MRSA) activity of moxifloxacin and gemifloxacin.〔 Levofloxacin has shown moderate activity against anaerobes, and is about twice as potent as ofloxacin against ''Mycobacterium tuberculosis'' and other mycobacteria, including ''Mycobacterium avium'' complex. Levofloxacin plays an important role in professional medical society guidelines for the treatment of pneumonia, urinary tract infections, and abdominal infections. The Infectious Disease Society of America (IDSA) and the American Thoracic Society recommend levofloxacin and other respiratory fluoroquinolines as first line treatment for community acquired pneumonia when co-morbidities such as heart, lung, or liver disease are present or when in-patient treatment is required.〔 Levofloxacin also plays an important role in recommended treatment regimens for ventilator-associated and healthcare-associated pneumonia. It is recommended by the IDSA as a first-line treatment option for catheter-associated urinary tract infections in adults. In combination with metronidazole it is recommended as one of several first-line treatment options for adult patients with community-acquired intra-abdominal infections of mild-to-moderate severity.〔 The IDSA also recommends it in combination with rifampicin as a first-line treatment for prosthetic joint infections. The American Urological Association recommends levofloxacin as a first-line treatment for bacterial prostatitis.〔 Levofloxacin and other fluoroquinolones have also been widely used for the outpatient treatment of uncomplicated community-acquired respiratory and urinary tract infections, indications for which major medical societies generally recommend the use of older, narrower spectrum drugs to avoid fluoroquinolone resistance development. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) estimates that over 23 million outpatient prescriptions for fluoroquinolones were filled in the United States in 2011. Due to its widespread use, common pathogens such as ''Escherichia coli'' and ''Klebsiella pneumoniae'' have developed resistance. In many countries, resistance rates among healthcare-associated infections with these pathogens now exceeds 20%. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「levofloxacin」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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