Use of ceftazidime in the treatment of otorhinolaryngoiatric bacterial infections.

Within the framework of an investigation into otorhinolaryngoiatric bacterial infections in Italy conducted in 1159 patients (607 with otitis media, 354 with pharyngo-tonsillitis and 198 with sinusitis), 124 ceftazidime-treated subjects (92 with otitis media, 22 with pharyngo-tonsillitis and 10 with sinusitis) were observed. The authors report the examination of a number of microbial isolates obtained in the various forms of otorhinolaryngoiatric bacterial infection. Gram-negative organisms were found as causative agents in such diseases, particularly in otitis media. Bacterial resistance to ceftazidime was assessed in all 1159 cases and proved relatively infrequent (3.6%) and markedly less than the detected resistance to other antibiotics (10.7% resistance to cefotaxime, 35% resistance to ampicillin, 43% resistance to penicillin). Ceftazidime, used mainly in otitis media, showed very substantial clinical efficacy with positive results in as many as 97% of cases treated, which is particularly significant, if one considers that roughly 64% of the infections were caused by "difficult" gram-negative bacteria (49% by Pseudomonas).