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PURPOSE: Limited data suggest that tetracycline or erythromycin is the antibiotic of choice for treating Chiamydia pneumoniae infection, but they are not always effective or well tolerated. Because the fluoroquinolone ofloxacin is effective for Chlamydia trachomatis infections, we investigated its role in treating C. pneumoniae infections. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Eighty-seven patients were enrolled in a randomized trial of antibiotic therapy for acute lower respiratory tract infections. The patients were randomly assigned to oral treatment with either oftoxacin (400 mg twice a day) or erythromycin (400 mg four times a day) for 10 days. Frozen acute and convalescent serologic specimens were tested for TWAR antibody by microimmunofluorescence. Susceptibility testing of C. pneumoniae to ofloxacin was also performed. RESULTS: Four patients who received ofloxacin were retrospectively identified as having C pneumoniae pneumonia (two) or bronchitis (two). Within 2 weeks of starting ofloxacin therapy, all were cured or markedly improved. The minimum inhibitory concentrations of ofloxacin for three previously isolated clinical strains of C. pneumoniae were determined to be 1.0 to 2.0 (micro)g/ mL, wen within the achievable serum levels (3 to 5 (micro)g/mL) with ofloxacin therapy. CONCLUSION: Ofloxacin may be an effective alternative antibiotic treatment for C. pneumoniae respiratory infections., The effectiveness of the fluoroquinolone antibiotic, ofloxacin, in treating infections caused by Chlamydia pneumoniae was assessed in patients with lower respiratory tract infections (either pneumonia or bronchitis). There were six patients with infections caused by C. pneumoniae, and four received 400 milligrams (mg) ofloxacin given twice a day while two patients received 400 mg erythromycin, another antibiotic, given four times a day. The patients were treated for a period of 10 days. All four patients treated with ofloxacin were completely cured, or improved significantly, within two weeks of starting treatment with ofloxacin. Of the two patients treated with erythromycin, one was cured and the other was improved. It had been determined that the lowest dose of ofloxacin required to prevent the growth of C. pneumoniae ranged from 1.0 to 2.0 micrograms per milliliter. This blood level of antibiotic can easily be reached using the treatment regimen of 400 mg oral ofloxacin twice daily. These findings suggest that treatment with the fluoroquinolone antibiotic ofloxacin may be an effective alternative to conventional therapy with erythromycin in patients with respiratory infections caused by C. pneumoniae. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

The fluoroquinolone antibiotic ofloxacin is a broad spectrum antimicrobial agent, meaning that it is effective in preventing the growth of a wide variety of microorganisms. It is currently under investigation in the United States for use in treating various types of infections, both those that are localized to one organ and those affecting the entire body (systemic). Ofloxacin is completely absorbed by the gastrointestinal tract after ingestion, undergoes minimal metabolism, is excreted by the kidney, and does not appear to interact with many drugs. Other types of quinolones cause adverse side effects, such as nausea, sensitivity to light, visual disturbances, and seizures. The safety of ofloxacin was evaluated with respect to adverse reactions and abnormal laboratory results from clinical trials or preliminary studies of ofloxacin effects in human subjects. In 2,197 patients treated with the antibiotic for three to 10 days, ofloxacin caused nausea in 3.5 percent of patients, insomnia or inability to sleep in 1.8 percent, headache in 1.4 percent, and dizziness in 1.2 percent. Adverse reactions were not serious and could be rapidly reversed or eliminated. The incidence of side effects was not related to age, and ofloxacin did not interact with methylxanthine drugs such as caffeine or theophylline. Ofloxacin did not cause crystalluria, the deposition of crystals in the urine. The results show that ofloxacin is a well-tolerated fluoroquinolone antibiotic. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Two dosage regimens of cefdinir were compared with amoxicillin/clavulanate for the treatment of suppurative acute otitis media (AOM) in children.

To compare the clinical efficacy of a 5-day cefdinir course with a 10-day cefprozil course in the treatment of pediatric acute otitis media (AOM).