Ciprofloxacin Remains Most Active Even After Fourteen Years Of Use.

2002 JAN 17 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- A study presented December 19, 2001, shows the antibiotic Cipro (ciprofloxacin HCl) is more active when tested in vitro than other available oral antibiotics tested against bacteria that frequently cause urinary tract infections (UTIs).

In vitro studies are conducted within test tubes or culture dishes. In vitro activity does not necessarily imply effectiveness in treating patients. The most widely used fluoroquinolone antibiotic, Cipro became available in the U.S. and other countries in 1987, and is approved for treating UTIs and a wide variety of other infections including respiratory tract infections, and skin and skin structure infections.

"Our findings are important because they confirm that ciprofloxacin is still highly active in vitro against UTI-causing pathogens even after 14 years of use," said Marion Robbins BSc, MSc, GR Micro Limited in London, U. K., where the study was conducted. She presented the findings at the Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy (ICAAC), held in Chicago, Illinois. She said the study, based on data gathered from 33 centers in 14 European countries, is one of the largest of its type carried out to date in Europe.

UTIs are among the most common reasons for adults to seek medical attention, and are among the most frequently occurring infections arising in the hospital setting. Common UTIs include cystitis (inflammation of the urinary bladder) and prostatitis (inflammation of the prostate). Each year, UTIs account for more than 5-7 million physician office visits, 20% of all prescriptions, and require or complicate more than 1 million hospital admissions in the U.S.

UTIs affect women more frequently than men; 40-50% of women report experiencing at least one UTI in their lifetime. Left untreated or improperly treated, some UTIs can lead to pyelonephritis, an infection of the kidneys that can require hospitalization. Frequently caused by a bacterial infection, UTIs are usually treated with antibiotics.

The study was supported by a grant from LIBRA Surveillance, an initiative by Bayer-AG. LIBRA is an ongoing international, educational and scientific initiative. In collaboration with scientists and organizations, Libra supports, undertakes and contributes to various activities fostering the appropriate use of antibiotics to combat the development of resistance. LIBRA's goal is to preserve the effectiveness of ...