In Vitro Activity of New Macrolides against Respiratory Pathogens

l due to the incidence of side effects, variable oral absorption, short half-life necessitating qid dosing, and limited spectrum of activity against several pathogens, including Haemophilus injluenzae. In contrast to older macrolides, which often have been considered as second choice drugs with a very narrow spectrum of activity, clarithromycin and other newer macrolides, including azithromycin, roxithromycin, rokitamycin and dirithromycin, can now be considered as broad spectrum antimicrobial agents and will now be used as first choice drugs for the treatment of several infectious diseases.