Ceftazidime in patients with severe Pseudomonas infections

Forty patients suffering from severe Pseudomonas infections (13 urinary tract infections, 8 of which complicated, 16 cases of pneumonia, 3 cases of sepsis, 1 case of sepsis with osteomyelitis, 2 cases of osteomyelitis, 1 case of ophthalmitis, and 4 cases of peritonitis) were treated with ceftazidime (1-6 g/die). Most cases presented with severe underlying conditions associated with, or predisposing to, infection (surgical intervention, neoplasia, immunodepression, etc.). Both microbiological results (38 out of 43 strains eradicated) and clinical outcome (28 infections cured, 10 improved, and only 2 unchanged) proved highly satisfactory. The authors advocate the empirical use of ceftazidime as first-line single-drug therapy in severe hospital acquired infections in high-risk patients.