Fusidic Acid and Its Major Active Metabolite Penetration into Cerebrospinal Fluid for Assessing Treatment of Intracranial Infections

Abstract

Fusidic acid (FA) had excellent antimicrobial effects due to its unique mechanism of action. Since 1962, FA has been widely used in the systemic and topical treatment of staphylococcal infections and exhibits a well-characterized potency against methicillin-susceptible <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i>, methicillin-resistant <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i>, and methicillin-resistant coagulase-negative <i>Staphylococci</i>. In view of the spectrum of activity, no cross-resistance with other clinically used antibiotics, and potential penetration into brain tissue, FA was used to treat possible gra-positive bacteria in 3 patients with intracranial infections in the present report. FA and its active metabolite (3-keto FA) were measured in plasma and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) to assess the treatment of FA, and the results indicated that 1,500 mg per day of FA was sufficient to achieve therapeutic concentrations in both plasma and CSF in intracranial infection patients, while the dosage did not experience unexpected regimen-related toxicity.