Treatment of otitis media with cefaclor, a new oral cephalosporin.

Cefaclor, a new semisynthetic cephalosporin, was evaluated for efficacy in the treatment of otitis media in 46 pediatric patients who had aspiration of the middle ear for culture. The dose of cefaclor ranged from 29 to 42 mg/kg/day administered in three divided doses. No organism was isolated in nine of the 46 patients. Streptococcus pneumoniae was isolated in 43% and Hemophilus influenzae in 27% of the remainder. A bacteriologic cure was achieved in 97% of cases with culturable organisms. The one treatment failure was due to a cefaclor-resistant strain of H influenzae. The medication was well tolerated with the exception of one case of eosinophilia that was possibly drug related. Cefaclor given three times a day is an effective program for the treatment of otitis media.