Successful treatment with linezolid in two cases of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections in the orthopedic field

Abstract

We have reported two orthopedic patients with Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections successfully treated with linezolid. The first case was a 64-years-old man with bacteremia, spondylitis and psoas abscesses caused by MRSA. He was treated with arbekacin (ABK) and vancomycin (VCM), and then became afebrile. However he complained of a recurrence of fever and oliguria, we administered linezolid for two weeks intravenously because of fluctuating renal dysfunction. Thereafter his clinical conditions improved. The second case was a 26-years-old man with MRSA infection of the pelvis after a trauma. He was treated with teicoplanin (TEIC) for two weeks. However the minimum inhibiratory concentrations (MICs) of TEIC and VCM against MRSA, isolated from the wounds, were 4 micrograms/ml each, we administered linezolid intravenously and the patient was successfully treated in four weeks. Linezolid has been proven to have high efficacy against MRSA by some trials abroad. But the agent has the indication only for VRE by the Medical Insurance in Japan. These cases also suggest that linezolid is useful for MRSA infections in these cases.