Cefotaxime therapy of neonatal gram-negative bacillary meningitis.

Seven neonates were treated with cefotaxime during eight episodes of Gram-negative bacillary meningitis and sepsis. The causative organisms were Escherichia coli in six cases and Klebsiella pneumoniae and Enterobacter sakazakii in one each. After identification of the pathogen cefotaxime was used alone in six instances. Two patients with brain abscesses received adjunctive therapy with another antibiotic. The sterility of cerebrospinal fluid was documented after a mean of 3.3 days of therapy. Mean cerebrospinal fluid bactericidal titer was 1:64. All patients recovered with good neurologic outcome. Cefotaxime in a dosage of 150 mg/kg/day divided every 6 hours intravenously seems safe and effective therapy for neonatal Gram-negative bacillary meningitis.