Telithromycin: The first ketolide antimicrobial

Telithromycin appears to be a useful option for the empiric treatment of community-acquired RTIs in adults. It may be particularly useful in the outpatient setting in areas with high rates of penicillin- and macrolide-resistant S pneumoniae; it may also be an alternative agent for patients who are allergic to β-lactams and live in areas with a high prevalence of multidrug-resistant S pneumoniae or for those who have failed to respond to β-lactam- or macrolide-based therapy.