Clinical trial of cefotaxime in patients with typhoid fever.

In 45 patients in whom typhoid fever was confirmed by culture of a blood sample, cefotaxime (1 gm BID) was administered intravenously for four days; if defervescence did not occur by day 5, the dosage was increased to 2 gm BID until defervescence, when it was reduced to 1 gm BID until discharge. On average, defervescence occurred on day 7 (range, day 3 to day 14), requiring a total dose of 31 gm (range, 12 to 60 gm) of cefotaxime. Relapse, occurring in three patients, was treated with co-trimoxazole. The duration of cefotaxime therapy was longer than therapy with chloramphenicol but without the risk of bone marrow depression.