Therapeutic experience with temocillin in peritonitis.

The therapeutic efficacy of the new beta-lactam antibiotic, temocillin, was studied in 30 critically ill patients with peritonitis, abscesses, bronchopneumonia, and serious soft tissue infections. Patients were treated with temocillin Ig intravenously twice daily. The isolated pathogens comprised mainly Escherichia coli and Proteus, but enterococci, Pseudomonas species, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Citrobacter species, Bacteroides species, streptococci and peptococci were also implicated. Temocillin was effective in 21/22 patients with peritonitis, as well as in 6/8 patients with long-lasting infections due to temocillin-sensitive pathogens. No adverse reactions to temocillin were observed. The indications for temocillin in patients undergoing abdominal surgery are discussed.