The emergence of clinical resistance to tigecycline

Tigecycline (TIG) exhibits broad-spectrum activity against many Gram-positive and Gram-negative pathogens. However, clinical resistance has emerged recently and has been detected following treatment with TIG. This observation suggests that long-term monotherapy may carry a high risk for TIG resistance. TIG resistance is observed most frequently in Acinetobacter baumannii and Enterobacteriaceae, especially in multidrug-resistant strains. Resistance-nodulation-cell division (RND)-type transporters and other efflux pumps may be factors for decreased sensitivity to TIG. Therefore, TIG should be cautiously used in the clinic, and efflux-mediated resistance should be closely monitored in order to prolong the lifespan of this useful antibiotic.