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Cefotaxime treatment of gram-negative enteric meningitis in infants and children
1Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock.
Insights
Cefotaxime effectively treated Gram-negative enteric bacillary meningitis in infants and children, showing a 94.4% survival rate. This antibiotic demonstrated safety and efficacy, making it a potential first-choice treatment for neonatal meningitis.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Infectious Diseases
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Gram-negative enteric bacillary meningitis is a severe infection in infants.
- Neonatal meningitis requires prompt and effective antibiotic treatment.
- Cefotaxime is a third-generation cephalosporin with broad-spectrum activity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the safety and efficacy of cefotaxime in treating Gram-negative enteric bacillary meningitis in infants and children.
- To determine the survival rate and complication rate associated with cefotaxime treatment.
- To assess the microbiological response to cefotaxime therapy.
Main Methods:
- A cohort of 18 infants and children (1 week to 3 months) with Gram-negative enteric bacillary meningitis received cefotaxime at 200 mg/kg/day.
- Clinical outcomes, including survival and complications, were monitored.
- Cerebrospinal fluid cultures were performed at 24 hours to assess treatment response.
Main Results:
- 17 out of 18 patients (94.4%) survived the infection.
- A complication rate of 23.5% (4/17 survivors) was observed.
- All patients achieved sterile cerebrospinal fluid cultures within 24 hours of treatment initiation.
Conclusions:
- Cefotaxime is a safe and effective treatment for Gram-negative enteric bacillary meningitis in infants and children.
- The drug demonstrates a high survival rate and rapid microbiological clearance.
- Cefotaxime should be considered a potential drug of choice for neonatal meningitis caused by susceptible Gram-negative organisms.
Abstract:
18 infants and children (1 week to 3 months of age) were treated with cefotaxime 200 mg/kg/day for Gram-negative enteric bacillary meningitis. 17 of these patients (94.4%) survived, with a complication rate of 23.5% (4/17 patients). The follow-up cerebrospinal fluid cultures at 24 hours were sterile in all patients. Cefotaxime was safe and effective in treating Gram-negative enteric bacillary meningitis in infants and children and should be considered as a potential drug of choice in Gram-negative neonatal meningitis due to susceptible organisms.