Cephalothin in Serious Bacterial Infection

Abstract

Details of 77 treatment courses of cephalothin for serious infections such as pneumonia and bacteremia due to Staphylococcus aureus, other Gram-positive cocci and various Gram-negative bacilli are presented. The clinical and bacteriologic responses were considered to be excellent on the whole. The mortality related to infection was 27% in the cases analyzed; inclusion of 8 additional critically ill patients who died with 48 hours would raise the mortality to 38%. Seven instances of clinically significant superinfection occurred. Side effects, seen in 24 patients, were not of a serious nature and were not dose related. The possibility that there may be cross allergenicity between cephalothin and the penicillins is discussed.