[Clinical evaluation of ceftizoxime in the pediatric infections (author's transl)].

Ceftizoxime (FK 749, CZX) was evaluated in 24 children with a suspicion of bacterial infection. Of the 17 confirmed bacterial infections, 16 were shown to be effective (effective rate, 94.1%). The diagnosis included acute pharyngitis (2), pneumonia (6), staphylococcal empyema (1), cervical purulent lymphadenitis (2), acute enterocolitis (2), acute pyelonephritis (1), SSSS (1) and suspected septicemia (2). The etiological pathogens recovered were Streptococcus anginosus (1), Streptococcus pneumoniae (1), Staphylococcus aureus (2), Haemophilus influenzae (3), enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (1) etc. A case of suspected Pseudomonas aeruginosa septicemia was not effectively treated with CZX. The serum half-life of CZX was 1.36 hours after intravenous bolus infection. A cerebrospinal fluid level of CZX was 6.2 mcg/ml 1 hour after intravenous bolus injection of 1 g (23.8 mg/kg) in a child with inflamed meninges. No severe adverse reaction was encountered with the CZX therapy. The data suggest that CZX is an excellent candidate for the first choice parenteral antibiotic in the pediatric infections.