Antimicrobial Therapy Against Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Pseudomonas cepacia

¹ Brompton Hospital, London, England.

Antibacterial drugs have played a central role in the treatment of CF for more than 30 years and are probably a major factor in the improved survival during this period. A large number of drugs are available against each colonizing organism, but their use has developed empirically more often than by controlled trials. A better understanding of why the organisms colonize the lungs in CF, how they cause lung damage, and how antibiotics modify bacterial behavior is required to make treatment more rational. More rational and precise antimicrobial therapy should in turn improve the outlook for patients with CF.