[Studies on penetration of cefepime into respiratory tract using broncho-alveolar lavage and sputum].

We investigated broncho-alveolar distribution of cefepime (CFPM), a fourth generation cephem, using 38 BALF specimens from 19 serious pneumonia patients who underwent artificial respiratory system control. The mean broncho-alveolar CFPM level was 3.44 microgram/ml (5.34% of the mean peak blood level). We thus observed that the BALF level after a single dose of 1 g of CFPM exceeds the MIC90 of the drug against RTI causing bacteria such as Streptococcus pneumoniae, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Haemophillus influenzae, Branhamella catarrhalis, coagulase-negative Staphylococcus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus.