[Cefotaxime in childhood infections (author's transl)].

Cefotaxime was administered to 20 patients suffering from severe bacterial infections. Four were newborn babies, seven were infants, and nine were children. The infections treated included 9 bronchopulmonary infections and 6 urinary tract infections. In 9 patients, the infecting organism was identified: E. coli (3), Klebsiella (2), Staphylococcus aureus (3), and Proteus (1). Except in one case, cefotaxime was administered alone at doses of 50 to 100 mg/kg every 12 hours. The route of administration was intramuscular. 4 patients had already received unsuccessful antimicrobial therapy. All patients were clinically cured. In those with pneumonia, the clinical and radiological response was very prompt; in urinary tract infections, the temperature returned to normal in less than 48 hours. The local and general tolerance was always good. It may be concluded from these results that cefotaxime, a new parenteral cephalosporin, is especially useful and should prove particularly effective in severe infectious conditions found in pediatric practice.