Doxycycline use for community-acquired pneumonia: contemporary in vitro spectrum of activity against Streptococcus pneumoniae (1999-2002)

Because of the limited clinical testing of doxycycline, it has received guarded acceptance as an inexpensive, fluoroquinolone-sparing agent for treatment of community-acquired pneumonia. Examination of in vitro data from 3,902 recent Streptococcus pneumoniae isolates (SENTRY Program, USA) suggests that doxycycline has wider clinical application compared to macrolides, oral cephalosporins (directed by penicillin susceptibility), and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole.