title: Update on the use of cefotaxime for pediatric meningitis in Portugal.
abstract: We treated 256 children who had identified bacterial meningitis with cefotaxime. Causative organisms were: Neisseria meningitidis in 108 cases, Streptococcus pneumoniae in 61, Haemophilus influenzae in 60, enteric Gram-negative bacilli in 21, and Staphylococcus spp. in six. Daily doses of cefotaxime were 150-200 mg/kg. A total of 240 patients (93.7%) were cured. In the cured patients, sterilization of cerebrospinal fluid was obtained in the first 72 h of treatment in 214 (80.0%). Cefotaxime is an effective and safe drug for the treatment of childhood bacterial meningitis.
authors.affiliation: Service of Infectious Diseases, School of Medicine, Hospital de S. Joao, Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lecour
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Miranda
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Nogueira
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Abreu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002439:Cefotaxime / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002511:Cephalosporins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D008297:Male; D016920:Meningitis, Bacterial / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000401:mortality; D011174:Portugal; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D002511:Cephalosporins; D002439:Cefotaxime