Introduction to Vancomycin

The emergence of antibiotic-resistant strains of Staphylococcus aureus in hospitalized patients during the early 1950s stimulated research designed to develop new antimicrobial agents that would combat the “golden plague.” Vancomycin, produced by a microorganism found in a soil sample from the jungle trails of Borneo, was shown to have anti staphylococcal activity and to be relatively safe when administered to patients with staphylococcal infections. In a recent resurgence in the use of vancomycin, investigators have reported the value of this antibiotic in the treatment of staphylococcal infections against which the newer antistaphylococcal antibiotics are ineffective. In addition, vancomycin is being used for prophylaxis in patients undergoing renal dialysis, for treatment of antibiotic-induced enterocolitis, and in combination with an aminoglycoside for “sterilization” of the intestinal tract of patients with cancer.