Clinical Drug Experience Knowledgebase

Ceftizoxime is a semisynthetic cephalosporin antibiotic, which can be administered intravenously or intramuscularly. It was sold under brand name, cefizox, but was removed from the US Market in 2007. Cefizox was used to treat different infections, such as lower respiratory tract infections caused by Klebsiella spp.; Proteus mirabilis; Escherichia coli; Haemophilus influenza; urinary tract Infections caused by Staphylococcus aureus (penicillinase¬ and nonpenicillinase¬producing); Escherichia coli; Pseudomonas spp. Also for treatment of gonorrhea including uncomplicated cervical and urethral gonorrhea caused by Neisseria gonorrhoeae; pelvic inflammatory disease caused by Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Escherichia coli or Streptococcus agalactiae; meningitis caused by Haemophilus influenza. In addition, some others infections. Cefizox has also been used successfully in the treatment of a limited number of pediatric and adult cases of meningitis caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae. Infections caused by aerobic gram ¬negative and by mixtures of organisms resistant to other cephalosporins, aminoglycosides, or penicillins have responded to treatment with Cefizox. The bactericidal action of ceftizoxime results from inhibition of the third and last stage of bacterial cell wall synthesis. Bacterial cell wall autolytic enzymes such as autolysins then mediate cell lysis; it is possible that ceftizoxime interferes with an autolysin inhibitor. Ceftizoxime is highly resistant to a broad spectrum of beta -lactamases (penicillinase and cephalosporinase), including Richmond types II, III, TEM, IV, produced by both aerobic and anaerobic gram - positive and gram - negative organisms and I.   ^NCATS