Levofloxacin - Medical Uses

Medical Uses

Levofloxacin is used to treat infections including: respiratory tract infections, cellulitis, urinary tract infections, prostatitis, anthrax, endocarditis, meningitis, pelvic inflammatory disease, traveler's diarrhea, tuberculosis and plague.

In the adult population Oral and I.V. levofloxacin is used for the treatment of bacterial infections such as:

• Urinary Tract Infections Added 17 December 1998

• Community-acquired pneumonia Added 2 February 2000

• Skin and Skin Structure Infections Added 9/8/2000

• Nosocomial Pneumonia Added 30 October 2002

• Chronic bacterial prostatitis Added 23 May 2003 Recommended as first line therapy.

• Inhalational Anthrax (Post-Exposure)Added 24 November 2004

• Acute Bacterial Sinusitis Added 8/4/2005 Revised 23 June 2006

• Acute Bacterial Exacerbation of Chronic Bronchitis Added 23 June 2006

• Acute Pyelonephritis Added 23 June 2006

• Pneumonic plague and septicemic plague (Yersinia pestis) and prophylaxis in adults and pediatric patients, 6 months of age and older.

Within the pediatric population Oral and I.V. levofloxacin is limited to:

• Inhalational Anthrax (Post-Exposure) Added 5 May 2008

Note: Levofloxacin has shown moderate activity against anaerobes, and is about twice as potent as ofloxacin against mycobacterium tuberculosis and other mycobacteria, including mycobacterium avium complex.

Oral and I.V. Levaquin are not licensed by the FDA for use in children other than the exception (inhalational anthrax), due to the risk of injury to the musculoskeletal system. Levofloxacin is not to be considered a first line agent for inhalational anthrax in the pediatric population due to severe adverse reactions involving the musculoskeletal system and other serious adverse reactions.

The fluoroquinolones are licensed to treat lower respiratory infections in children with cystic fibrosis in the UK.

Note: levofloxacin may be licensed for other uses, or restricted, by the various regulatory agencies worldwide.