Cefixime in the Treatment of Acute Lower Respiratory Tract and Urinary Tract Infections

Abstract

Cefixime is a new oral cephalosporin antibiotic that is stable in the presence of β-lactamase and has a broad antibacterial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative organisms. Between March and August 1990, 20 patients with acute lower respiratory tract infections and 20 patients with acute urinary tract infections were treated with cefixime 200mg every 12 hours. The clinical success rate in lower respiratory tract infections was 90% (18 of 20) and the microbiological eradication rate was 81.3% (13 of 16). Therapy was unsuccessful in 2 patients, one with Pseudomonas aeruginosa pneumonia and the other with viridans streptococcus and Bacteroides intermedius lung abscess. The clinical success rate in urinary tract infections was 90% (18 of 20) and the microbiological eradication rate was 85.7% (18 of 21). One patient with Klebsiella pneumoniae complicated urinary tract infection relapsed after eradication. Therapy was unsuccessful in 2 patients with P. aeruginosa complicated urinary tract infections. The overall success rate in both groups was 90% (36 of 40) and no major adverse effects occurred. This study showed cefixime to be an effective and safe oral antibiotic for the treatment of acute lower respiratory tract and urinary tract infections.