Therapy - Drugs Spectrum tab

The Drugs tab lists all pathogens known to be susceptible to a user-selected drug. A next to the pathogen name indicates that the drug in question is considered as therapy-of-choice. indicates that the drug is used in combination therapy. indicates that the "Drug of Choice" should be used in combination with another drug. Some of the entries display <S> following their names, indicating that they are pathogens and infections for which surgery (excision, extraction) is often necessary. These designations reflect The Medical Letter, The Sanford Guide to Antimicrobial Therapy, and other standard references.

For purposes of this list, "susceptible" indicates that over 50% of isolates are susceptible in-vitro or respond clinically when appropriate dosages are employed. This designation should not imply a clinical indication for any specific drug-pathogen pair. Drugs, which are available for topical use only, are not included in the database. In some cases (e.g., methenamine) drug usage is limited to specific sites of infection only.

The designation 'suseptible' indicates that 1) the drug in question is recognized by the American Federal Drug Administration [FDA] or similar agencies as acceptable therapy for the pathogen in question; or 2) has been found effective in clinical or laboratory studies published in peer-reviewed journals and standard text books.

Susceptibility

The Susceptibility window summarizes published guidelines used in the in vitro testing of antimicrobial susceptibility. Inhibitory drug concentrations, which characterize bacteria as R [resistant] and S [susceptible], are also displayed. Lists of drugs and interpretive criteria may change as new data are published. The figures in this window are valid only when using procedures, media, reagents and conditions of incubation outlined in standard texts. The designation Susceptible [S] should be taken as “Susceptible in vitro to blood levels expected when proper dosage is given.” The designation 'susceptible' indicates that 1) the drug in question is recognized by the American Federal Drug Administration [FDA] or similar agencies as acceptable therapy for the pathogen in question; or 2) has been found effective in clinical or laboratory studies published in peer-reviewed journals and standard text books.

In-vitro susceptibility does not necessarily imply clinical use for a drug, and should not be construed as a recommendation for therapy. Reliable standards for anti-fungal, antiviral and anti-parasitic agents are not yet published in this form.