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Published on: August 30, 2018
Parenteral fluoroquinolones in children with life-threatening infections
R Dagan1, F Schlaeffer, M Einhorn
1Pediatric Infectious Disease Unit, Soroka University Medical Center, Beer-Sheva, Israel.
Insights
New fluoroquinolones, despite cartilage concerns in young animals, can be life-saving for children. This study shows successful treatment of severe pediatric infections when other antibiotics failed, highlighting their critical role in specific cases.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Infectious Diseases
- Pharmacology
- Microbiology
Background:
- Fluoroquinolones possess broad-spectrum activity but are typically avoided in children due to observed cartilage damage in animal studies.
- Despite safety concerns, fluoroquinolones may be essential in treating life-threatening pediatric infections unresponsive to standard therapies.
Abstract:
The new fluoroquinolones have not been tested in children despite their wide spectrum of in vitro activity and efficacy, because of an observed damage to cartilage in young animals. However, in some cases they may be life-saving. We present three pediatric patients with life threatening infections in whom the fluoroquinolones were used when other antibiotics failed: A seven-year-old boy with meningitis due to multiresistant Acinetobacter calcoaceticus, a three-year-old boy with Job's syndrome with line sepsis due to Staphylococcus epidermidis and a four month-old boy with agammaglobulinemia with mixed infection due to Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Acinetobacter spp. All three children were cured of their infections.
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