Successful Vancomycin Desensitization with a Combination of Rapid and Slow Infusion Methods

Vancomycin, an antibiotic to which methicillinresistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is sensitive, frequently induces hypersensitivity reactions. Lowering the vancomycin infusion rate and/or premedicating with antihistamine effectively reduce hypersensitivity in most cases. However, vancomycin desensitization is sometimes the only way to ensure safe use. Two types of desensitization protocols have been reported, and these utilize different infusion intervals; rapid desensitization and slow desensitization. We herein report a case of vancomycin hypersensitivity with methicillinresistant Staphylococcus aureus infection. A combination of the two desensitization protocols, rapid desensitization followed by slow desensitization, effectively inhibited the hypersensitivity reaction during vancomycin infusion, and methicillinresistant Staphylococcus aureus was successfully eradicated.