cefdinir and Gram-Positive-Bacterial-Infections

Cefdinir (Omnicef) is an oral third-generation cephalosporin with good in vitro activity against many pathogens commonly causative in community-acquired infections. The drug provides good coverage against Haemophilus influenzae, Moraxella catarrhalis and penicillin-susceptible Streptococcus pneumoniae, the most common respiratory tract pathogens. Cefdinir is stable to hydrolysis by commonly occurring plasmid-mediated beta-lactamases and retains good activity against beta-lactamase-producing strains of H. influenzae and M. catarrhalis. The drug distributes into various tissues (e.g. sinus and tonsil) and fluids (e.g. middle ear), and has a pharmacokinetic profile that allows for once- or twice-daily administration.Cefdinir, administered for 5 or 10 days, has shown good clinical and bacteriological efficacy in the treatment of a wide range of mild-to-moderate infections of the respiratory tract and skin in adults, adolescents and paediatric patients in randomised, controlled trials. In adults and adolescents, cefdinir is an effective treatment for both lower (acute bacterial exacerbations of chronic bronchitis [ABECB], community-acquired pneumonia) and upper (acute bacterial rhinosinusitis, streptococcal pharyngitis) respiratory tract infections, and uncomplicated skin infections. Its bacteriological and clinical efficacy in patients with lower respiratory tract infections was equivalent to that of comparator agents (cefprozil [bacteriological only], loracarbef, cefuroxime axetil and cefaclor). In one trial in patients with ABECB, cefdinir produced a higher rate of clinical cure than cefprozil (95% CIs indicated nonequivalence). Cefdinir also produced good clinical and bacteriological responses equivalent to responses with amoxicillin/clavulanic acid in patients with acute bacterial rhinosinusitis. In addition, it was at least as effective as penicillin V (phenoxymethylpenicillin) in streptococcal pharyngitis/tonsillitis and as effective as cefalexin in uncomplicated skin infections. In paediatric patients aged > or =6 months, cefdinir showed similar efficacy to that of amoxicillin/clavulanic acid or cefprozil in acute otitis media, and cefalexin in uncomplicated skin infections. Cefdinir given for 5 or 10 days was at least as effective as penicillin V for 10 days in patients with streptococcal pharyngitis/tonsillitis. Cefdinir is usually well tolerated. Diarrhoea was the most common adverse event in trials in all age groups. Although the incidence of diarr

Topics: Anti-Bacterial Agents; Cefdinir; Cephalosporins; Child; Gram-Negative Bacteria; Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections; Gram-Positive Bacteria; Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections; Humans; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Treatment Outcome

This study evaluated the effect of prophylactic cefdinir (3 mg/kg given once daily) for the prevention of recurrent and complicated urinary tract infections (UTI) in pediatric patients.. The study included 14 infants who were observed for at least 6 months following the first signs of infection (eight boys, six girls; mean age at admission [± SD]: 6.2 [± 7.4] months). Twelve patients had vesico-ureteric reflux (grade I, two; grade II, three; grade III, six; grade IV, one), and two patients had ureteropelvic junction stenosis.. No patients discontinued medication due to diarrhea or other adverse drug reactions. The patients had a 6-month recurrence-free rate of 93% (13/14); only one patient had recurrent UTI. The mean urinary cefdinir concentration was 16.3 [± 11.7]µg/mL; there was considerable variability among individual measurements, even though the samples were collected at similar intervals after drug intake (mean 18.00 [± 2.63] h after dose). However, the lowest measured urinary cefdinir concentration (1.16 µg/mL) was sufficient to eradicate Escherichia coli, one of the most significant causes of UTI. Fecal cultures, obtained at monthly clinic visits during the observation period, indicated that the patients' E. coli strains were very sensitive to cefdinir. No patients were infected with Pseudomonas aeruginosa or other non-fermenting Gram-negative bacilli or fungi.. These results show that cefdinir given 3 mg/kg once daily is very effective and safe for preventing recurrent complicated UTI in infants.

Topics: Anti-Bacterial Agents; Antibiotic Prophylaxis; Cefdinir; Cephalosporins; Cohort Studies; Drug Administration Schedule; Enterococcus faecalis; Escherichia coli Infections; Female; Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections; Humans; Infant; Male; Secondary Prevention; Treatment Outcome; Urinary Tract Infections

Cost savings are possible if oral cephems of equivalent efficacy can be substituted for parenteral cephems. An in vitro study was performed to compare the activity of cefdinir, cefoxitin, cefazolin, ceftriaxone, ceftazidime, and cefepime against 243 clinical isolates of human pathogens. Activities were determined by National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards microbroth dilution methodology using an inoculum of approximately 5 x 10(5) CFU/mL. Cefdinir was the single or equally most potent agent against Streptococcus pyogenes, penicillin-susceptible Streptococcus pneumoniae, methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus, and Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates that produced a variety of beta-lactamase types. Cefdinir was less potent than ceftriaxone, ceftazidime, and cefepime against Haemophilus influenzae, but was 2- to 8-fold more potent than cefoxitin and 8- to 32-fold more potent than cefazolin. Cefdinir was slightly less potent than ceftazidime, against beta-lactamase-positive Moraxella catarrhalis. These data support clinical consideration of cefdinir as an alternative to parenteral cephems in infections where adequate tissue levels can be safely assured.

Topics: Administration, Oral; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Cefdinir; Cephalosporins; Gram-Negative Bacteria; Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections; Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections; Gram-Positive Cocci; Humans; Microbial Sensitivity Tests