The use of moxalactam in the treatment of serious infections due to multi-resistant organisms.

Moxalactam was evaluated as the sole therapy of 45 episodes of infection in 41 patients due primarily to bacteria resistant to older antibiotics. Infections included bacteremias, pulmonary, skin and soft tissue infections, osteomyelitis, and meningitis. Clinical and bacteriological cure was achieved in 69% of infections. Cure was achieved with moxalactam in patients infected with cefazolin-resistant, carbenicillin-resistant, chloramphenicol and gentamicin-resistant organisms. Although adverse reactions were generally mild, diarrhea developed in five patients, a major increase in prothrombin time and bleeding in three patients and a disulfiram reaction in two patients.