Only Newer Fluoroquinolone Approved for Treatment of Corneal Ulcers

IQUIX® solution is indicated for the treatment of corneal ulcer caused by susceptible strains of the following bacteria:

Gram-positive Bacteria:
Corynebacterium species*
Staphylococcus aureus
Staphylococcus epidermidis
Streptococcus pneumoniae
Viridans group streptococci*

Gram-negative Bacteria:
P.aeruginosa
S.marcescens*

*Efficacy studied in fewer than 10 infections.

Levofloxacin exhibits in vitro minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of 2 µg/mL or less (systemic susceptible breakpoint) against most (≥90%) strains of the following ocular pathogens:

AEROBIC GRAM-POSITIVE MICROORGANISMS:
Enterococcus faecalis (many strains are only moderately susceptible)
Staphylococcus saprophyticus
Streptococcus agalactiae
Streptococcus pyogenes
Streptococcus (Group C/F)
Streptococcus (Group G)

AEROBIC GRAM-NEGATIVE MICROORGANISMS:

Acinetobacter baumannii Legionella pneumophila
Acinetobacter lwoffii Moraxella catarrhalis
Citrobacter koseri Morganella morganii
Citrobacter freundii Neisseria gonorrhoeae
Enterobacter aerogenes Pantoea agglomerans
Enterobacter cloacae Proteus mirabilis
Escherichia coli Proteus vulgaris
Haemophilus influenzae Providencia rettgeri
Haemophilus parainfluenzae Providencia stuartii
Klebsiella oxytoca Pseudomonas fluorescens
Klebsiella pneumoniae

The clinical significance of these in vitro results for the treatment of ophthalmic infections is unknown. The safety and effectiveness of levofloxacin in treating ophthalmological infections due to these microorganisms have not been established in adequate and well-controlled trials. These organisms are considered susceptible when evaluated using systemic breakpoints. However, a correlation between the in vitro systemic breakpoint and ophthalmological efficacy has not been established.