Tag: Glycopeptide antibiotics

Originally derived from a soil fungus in the 1950s, vancomycin is a powerful glycopeptide antibiotic that has become a cornerstone of modern infectious disease treatment. Today, it is primarily used to treat severe, drug-resistant bacterial infections, a role that has made the question 'What is the drug vancomycin used for?' highly relevant in clinical practice.

In 2017, there were an estimated 119,247 *Staphylococcus aureus* bloodstream infections in the United States, leading to nearly 20,000 deaths [1.11.3]. This highlights the need for potent antibiotics. So, **what is vancomycin only effective against?** This powerful glycopeptide antibiotic is a narrow-spectrum agent used almost exclusively against Gram-positive bacteria [1.2.1, 1.3.5].

Increasing antibiotic resistance is a major global health threat, with resistance to broad-spectrum drugs like Ciprofloxacin on the rise [1.9.1, 1.9.2]. The question 'Is Cipro stronger than vancomycin?' is complex, as their effectiveness depends entirely on the specific bacteria being targeted.

Since the discovery of vancomycin in 1953, glycopeptide antibiotics have become a critical line of defense against serious Gram-positive bacterial infections, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). These complex molecules are a last resort for many drug-resistant pathogens.