[Clinical evaluation of cefmenoxime in the pediatric infections]

Cefmenoxime (CMX) was evaluated in 25 children with a suspicion of bacterial infection. Of the 20 confirmed bacterial infections, 19 were cured by CMX therapy (effective rate, 95%). The diagnoses included acute pharyngotonsillitis (4), acute bronchitis (1), pneumonia (7), streptococcal dacryocystitis (1), infections accompanied with acute leukemia (4), and acute urinary tract infections (3). The etiologic pathogens were beta-hemolytic Streptococcus group A (1), and F (1), Staphylococcus aureus (4), Haemophilus influenzae (4), Escherichia coli (4), Klebsiella pneumoniae (2), etc. CMX was very effective for 2 children with respiratory infections due to ampicillin resistant H. influenzae type b. The half life of serum concentration of CMX was 0.76 +/- 0.17 hour after an intravenous bolus injection. A cerebrospinal fluid level of CMX was 5.2 mcg/ml 1 hour after intravenous injection of 1 g (23.8 mg/kg) in a child with inflamed meninges. However this level was not as high as those of cefotaxime, latamoxef, or ceftizoxime measured in the same case. No severe adverse reaction was encountered with CMX therapy. The data suggest that CMX is a safe and effective parenteral antibiotic when used in children with susceptible bacterial infections.