Ciprofloxacin treatment of Staphylococcus aureus infections.

Ciprofloxacin appears to be safe and effective for a wide variety of clinical infections. In-vitro and animal studies point to high cure rates for both methicillin-sensitive and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections. Seventeen patients with staphylococcal infections severe enough to require hospital admission and initial parenteral therapy were treated with ciprofloxacin; the results were poor, with clinical failure in five and bacteriological failure in 12. All pathogens isolated were susceptible to ciprofloxacin both before and after therapy and tolerance was not detected. Further study is required before ciprofloxacin can be recommended for life threatening staphylococcal infections.