Telithromycin is a ketolide antibiotic that, like the related macrolides, binds bacterial ribosomes to inhibit translation as well as block ribosome subunit assembly. It has good activity in vitro against the most common community-acquired respiratory tract pathogens, including S. pneumoniae, H. influenzae, M. catarrhalis, and S. pyogenes. Telithromycin is also effective against atypical and intracellular respiratory tract bacterial pathogens, such as Mycoplasma, Legionella, and Chlamydia.
