Powder for injection
600 mg = 1 million IU = 1 MU
Dosage Forms
Uses
Dose and Duration
In severe infections, double the dose
Severe meningitis
Adult:3–4 MU IV or IM every 4 hours for 10–14
days
Child: 100,000 IU/kg/dose for 10–14 days
Severe cases may need up to 21 days treatment for neonates and for at least 21 days and up to 42 days for immunosuppressed adults
Septicaemia (given in combination with gentamicin)
Infants >7 days: 50,000-75,000 IU/kg IV every
4–6 hours for 21 days
Infants <7 days: 50,000 IU IV every 8 hours
for 21 days
Tetanus
Adult: 1–2 MU every 6 hours for 10 days
Child:50,000–100,000 IU/kg/dose for 10 days
Neonate:100,000 IU/kg every 12 hours for 10
days
Severe pneumonia in infant 1 week–2 months old (in combination
with chloramphenicol)
Give first dose 50,000 IU/kg IM
Refer immediately (if at HC II)
Pneumococcal pneumonia (with PPF)
Give 50,000 IU/kg IM every 6 hours for 2 days
Quinsy (with amoxicillin)
Give 2 MU IM every 6 hours for 2 days
Pre-referral treatment for severe bacterial infection and
possible serious bacterial infection in infants (PSBI) (with
chloramphenicol)
Give first dose of benzyl penicillin 50,000 IU/kg IM Refer
immediately (if at HC II)
If referral not possible: give 50,000 IU/kg IM every 6 hours for at least 5 days