Linezolid for Treatment of Postviral Bacterial Pneumonia

PURPOSE: Bacterial pneumonia is a well described complication of influenza. In recent years, community-onset methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (cMRSA) infection has emerged as a contributor to morbidity and mortality in patients with influenza. Linezolid (LZD) is an oxazolidinone, the first new class of antibiotic developed in the last three decades. Although it is predominantly bacteriostatic, linezolid exhibits effective in-vitro and in-vivo activity against a wide variety of Gram-positive organisms, including methicillin susceptible S. aureus and methicillin-resistant S.aureus (MRSA). In this study we wanted to assess the effect of Linezolid on lung inflammatory response as well as lung injury in a murine model of post viral bacterial pneumonia as compared to Vancomycin (Vanco).