Clinical safety and efficacy of ofloxacin.

In this study we report about the efficacy and tolerability of ofloxacin in the treatment of 15 patients with severe and moderately severe infections including osteomyelitis (5), soft tissue infections (5), salmonellosis in AIDS patients (2), acute or chronic pulmonary infections (2) and mediastinitis (1). The following organisms were isolated in culture specimens: Staphylococcus aureus (4), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (4), Staphylococcus epidermidis (3), Serratia marcescens (1), Escherichia coli (1), Aeromonas hydrophila (1), Klebsiella oxytoca (1), Klebsiella pneumoniae (1), Salmonella cholerae-suis (1), Salmonella sp. (1), Enterobacter cloacae (1). All isolates were sensitive to the drug. Of 5 cases with osteomyelitis, 2 were cured and 3 improved clinically (with bacteriological eradication of the pathogens). The best results were obtained in patients with soft tissue infections: 4 patients were cured and 1 improved. Two patients with salmonella bacteremia and AIDS experienced a recurrence 1 month and 2 months respectively after stopping therapy. The patient with mediastinitis was successfully treated. Improvement was recorded for 2 patients with bronchiectasis and exacerbation of chronic bronchitis. The drug was well tolerated, only one episode of mild nausea and vomiting was reported and did not require discontinuation of the therapy. The study indicates that ofloxacin is a safe and effective agent in the treatment of various infections.