fosfomycin and Epididymitis

Fosfomycin (FOM) is an antibiotic with a small relative molecular weight (138.1) and a long half-life, and has a unique chemical structure and antibacterial mechanisms. It exerts a bactericidal activity by inhibiting the early synthesis of bacterial cell walls. It is also a broad-spectrum antibiotic with a good drug tolerance and compliance and a low pressure to bacterial resistance, but no cross-resistance with other antibiotics. Recent studies show the effectiveness of FOM in the treatment of acute uncomplicated urinary tract infections and urogenital tract infections as well, such as prostatitis and epididymitis. This review focuses on the clinical application of FOM in the treatment of infectious diseases of the urogenital tract.

Topics: Anti-Bacterial Agents; Epididymitis; Fosfomycin; Humans; Male; Male Urogenital Diseases; Prostatitis; Urinary Tract Infections

Twenty-four patients with urinary tract infections were treated with fosfomycin (FOM) to evaluate its effectiveness and safety. They all had shown allergic reactions, mainly to beta-lactams. Lymphocyte stimulation test (LST), leukocyte migration inhibition test (LMT), passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA) and the precipitin reaction were performed to test whether FOM would also cause an allergic reaction. FOM was judged by the physician-in-charge to be effective in all 6 patients (100%) with acute simple cystitis and 8 (72.7%) of 11 patients with chronic complicated urinary tract infections. The drug was also effective in 15 (83.3%) of 18 patients with epididymitis, etc. Regarding the usefulness of FOM, it was judged to be useful in 21 (91.3%) of 23 patients. FOM was very useful in 8 (34.8%) of these 23. In patients tested for LST, the value was lower in cases given FOM than in cases given ampicillin (ABPC), cefazolin (CEZ) or latamoxef (LMOX); there was an especially significant (p less than 0.01) difference with ABPC. All the drugs tested were negative for the LMT, PCA and precipitin reaction tests. No subjective or objective abnormalities were attributed to the FOM treatment, and there were also no abnormal laboratory test values. FOM was evaluated to be an effective and safe antibacterial agent without in vitro or clinical allergic reactions.

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Drug Hypersensitivity; Epididymitis; Female; Fosfomycin; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Prostatitis; Urethritis; Urinary Tract Infections