antibioticsbooks

chapter 6 Beta-Lactams 55
penicillin considerably. There are two caveats:
(1) it only applies to intravenous penicillin and
(2) it does not apply to CNS infections, where
the old breakpoints remain in effect. It is a
practical reminder that breakpoints are useful
predictors of treatment success, but they are
not always set correctly.
What They’re Good For
Syphilis, particularly neurosyphilis. During penicillin
shortages, hospitals often reserve its use for
this indication. Penicillin is also used in susceptible
streptococcal infections such as pharyngitis or
endocarditis.
Don’t Forget!
Other, more conveniently dosed narrow-spectrum
beta-lactams are available for most bugs treatable
with penicillin.