[Pharmacokinetics of fosfomycin and otitis media]

The pharmacokinetics of fosfomycin in the ear and eye fluids and in serum are studied after intramuscular administration of 300 and 600 mg per kg respectively to 11 groups of 7 guniea pigs each. Maximal fosfomycin concentrations in the perilymph and aqueous humour are about 12% of the serum peak concentrations and the aqueous humour concentrations are similar to those of the aminoglycoside antibiotics, whereas the fosfomycin concentrations in the perilymph are twice as high as those in the aminoglycoside antibiotics. A retention of fosfomycin in the perilymph, similar to that of the aminoglycoside antibiotics, can be observed. The fosfomycin half-lives in serum, aqueous humour and perilymph are 1.1, 3,7 and 4.9 hours, respectively. The discussion mainly concerns the validity, after suitable adaptation, of the experimental results and their clinical importance for therapy and prophylaxis of the infectious inner ear complications due to the usual germs of chronic otitis media as well as for the treatment of certain eye infections.