Combination antibiotic therapy for the treatment of infective endocarditis due to enterococci

Abstract

Introduction: Enterococci are common causes of infective endocarditis (IE) in both health care and community-based setting. Enterococcal IE requires bactericidal therapy for an optimal outcome. For decades, cell-wall-active antimicrobial agents (penicillins or vancomycin) in combination with aminoglycosides were the cornerstone of the treatment; however, the emergence of antibiotic resistance has significantly reduced the efficacy of these regimens.

Materials and methods: Data for this review were identified by searches of MEDLINE and references from relevant articles on antibiotic combination regimens for the treatment of enterococcal IE. Abstracts presented in scientific conferences were not searched for.

Conclusion: New effective and safe combination treatments, including double-β-lactam and daptomycin/β-lactam combination, are proving useful for the management of IE due to enterococci.

Keywords: Combination antibiotic therapy; Enterococcus spp.; Infective endocarditis.