This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Reprints and Permissions Copyright Information Books from ASM Press MicrobeWorld Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Uwaydah, M. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Uwaydah, M.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 1976 July; 10(1): 52-56
Copyright © 1976 American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Cefazolin in the Treatment of Acute Enteric Fever

Departments of Medicine and Bacteriology and Virology, American University Hospital, Beirut, Lebanon

ABSTRACT

Cefazolin was used in the treatment of nine patients with acute enteric fever proven by positive blood cultures. In seven patients the causative organism was Salmonella typhi and in two it was Salmonella paratyphi B. Minimal inhibitory and minimal bactericidal concentrations of cefazolin against the nine isolates ranged between 1.95 and 3.90 µg/ml. Cefazolin was administered either intramuscularly or intravenously in a daily dose of 3 to 6 g for 11 to 16 days. The mean peak serum antibiotic concentration after a 0.5-g intravenous injection was 64.4 µg/ml, and the mean trough concentration, 3 h later, was 12.7 µg/ml. The highest serum inhibitory dilution at peak level was frequently 1/64, and at trough level it was 1/16 to 1/32. The acute infection was satisfactorily controlled in all patients. Phlebitis, complicating intravenous therapy, in five out of eight patients, was the only side effect observed. Relapse of typhoid fever, as documented by positive blood culture, occurred in one patient 11 days after treatment course was completed. More extensive clinical studies are required before drawing any conclusions regarding the efficacy of cefazolin in acute enteric fever.

¹ Address reprint requests to: Dr. Marwan Uwaydah, c/o Dr. Morton Swartz, Chief, Infectious Disease Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114.