Ceftriaxone therapy of serious bacterial infections

Ceftriaxone, a broad spectrum cephalosporin with a markedly extended half-life, was administered to 68 patients with 71 infections in an open trial. Sixty-three infections (89%) had a satisfactory clinical response with eradication of bacteria present at the initiation of therapy in 62 infections (87%). The eight treatment failures correlated well with the development of resistance to ceftriaxone during therapy in Enterobacter and Pseudomonas species (two cases) and with superin-fection with Bacteroides fragilis (three cases). Treatment was discontinued in eight patients because of unwanted effects. Serious side effects included leukopenia, rash, fever, and enterocolitis.