CEFOTAXIME

Third generation broad spectrum cephalosporin antibacterial

Dosage Forms

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Powder for solution for injection

500 mg
1g
2g

Uses

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  • Respiratory tract infections
  • Urinary tract infections
  • Gonorrhoea
  • Skin and soft-tissue infections
  • Sinusitis
  • Neonatal Sepsis and meningitis

Dose and Duration

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Neonatal Meningitis

Treat for 14 days in combiantion with ampicllin.

50mg/kg 12 hourly
Uncomplicated gonorrhoea

Iv or IM single dose

Adult:: 500mg for 1 dose
Disseminated gonococcal infection

By intravenous injection or infusion

Adult: 1g every 8hours for 7days,maybe switched 24–48 hours after symptoms improve to a suitable oral antibacterial
suspected bacterial meningitis or meningococcal disease

By intramuscular injection or intravenous injection

Child 1 month – 11 years: 50mg/kg 12 hourly
Child 12 - 18 years: 1g every 12 hours
Adult: 1g every 12 hours

Contraindications

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  • Allergy to cephalosporin
  • History of severe hypersensitivity to other beta-lactam antibacterial agents

Side Effects

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  • Candida overgrowth
  • Eosinophilia
  • Dizziness, headache
  • Transient rise in liver enzymes
  • Diarrhoea, nausea, abdominal discomfort
  • Stevens-Johnson syndrome

Interactions

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  • Warfarin (possibly enhanced anticoagulant effect)

Pregnancy

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  • Not known to be harmful.

Breastfeeding

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  • Present in milk in low concentration, but appropriate to use.

⚠️ Caution

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  • Reduce dose in severe renal impairment.
  • Use with caution in patients with non-severe hypersensitivity to penicillins and other beta-lactam agents
  • Prolonged use may result in the overgrowth of other non susceptible microorganisms like enterococci and clostridium difficile, which may require interruption of treatment