Ophthalmic infections and their anti-infective challenges.

This introduction provides an overview of the succeeding articles contained within this supplement on the new fourth-generation fluoroquinolone antibiotic product, moxifloxacin ophthalmic solution 0.5% (VIGAMOX, Alcon Laboratories, Inc., Fort Worth, TX). Moxifloxacin was developed specifically to address the increasing incidence of resistance to earlier-generation antibiotic molecules. Structural modifications to the moxifloxacin molecule have decreased the likelihood of the development of resistant organisms. This antibiotic has been shown to possess greater activity than previous-generation molecules against gram-positive bacteria while maintaining excellent potency against gram-negative organisms and nontuberculous (atypical) mycobacteria. Moxifloxacin ophthalmic solution 0.5% exhibits enhanced bioavailability due to a unique molecular structure that combines high lipophilicity for enhanced corneal penetration with high aqueous solubility at physiological pH. Numerous studies have shown that moxifloxacin ophthalmic solution 0.5% has high potency against a broad range of microbial species and a favorable profile in terms of safety and tolerability. The results presented in this supplement provide additional evidence for the potential benefits of moxifloxacin ophthalmic solution 0.5% in surgical prophylaxis and treatment of sight-threatening infections, such as bacterial conjunctivitis, endophthalmitis and keratitis.