MRSA is another name for the bacteria Staphylococcus Aureus, but has a developed a resistance to many practical beta lactam antibiotics. These antibiotics include methicillin, nafcillin, dicloxacillin, and oxacillin.

Teicoplanin and Vancomycin are known as “glycopeptide” antibiotics, in which are also commonly used to treat MRSA infections.Teicoplanin, similar to Vancomycin, works in the same methods to treat infection but has a longer halflife period. Intravenous methods are recommended when using these antibiotics, because oral administration generally takes an inconvienient amount of time for absorption into the body. Vancomycin can be used, but is normally avoided because it is difficult to use for treatment.

Recent studies have shown several MRSA strains are resistant to Teicoplanin and Vancomycin. Because of this, MRSA is showing its formidity and is certainly a growing concern for medical practitioners. These new strains of MRSA are called VISA strains, or Vancomycin intermediate resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

Other Antibiotics Used To Treat Glycopeptide-Resistant MRSA:

Linezolid - a synthetic antibiotic in the oxazolidinone class, in which is used for treatment of infection caused by multi-resistant bacteria

Quinupristin/Dalfopristin - a combination of two antibiotics, in which is used to treat infection by Staph and by Enterococcus faecium bacteria that are resistant to Vancomycin

Daptomycin - a lipopeptide antibiotic that is used for treatment of infection caused by Gram Positive bacteria

Tigecycline - is used for treatment against many Gram Positive and Negative bacteria and Anaerobes

Rifampicin With Fusidic Acid - a bacterial antibiotic of the Rifamycin group, added to a bacteriostatic antibiotic that is often used to interfere with typical bacterial protien synthesis

Rifampicin Fluoroquinolone - another bacterial antibiotic of the Rifamycin group that works to kill bacteria by interfering with DNA replication

Pristinamycin - an antibiotic primarily used for treatment of Staphylococcal infection

Co-Trimoxazole (Trimethoprim-Sulfamethoxazole) - a Sulfonamide antibacterial combination of Sulfamethoxazole and Trimethoprim used to treat a variety of bacterial infections

Doxycycline/Minocycline - an antibiotic in the Tetracycline group that is commonly used for treatment of many infections

Clindamycin - commonly used for the treatment of infection by the use of Anaerobic bacteria