Ceftriaxone therapy in bacteremic typhoid fever

The efficacy and safety of ceftriaxone in the treatment of bacteremic typhoid fever was studied in 14 patients. Ceftriaxone at a dosage of 50 to 60 mg/kg per day was administered intravenously in two divided doses in 13 patients and as a single dose in 1 patient. When the two patients with medical complications causing persistent fever and the patient who was febrile during therapy were excluded from the calculations, the mean period of defervescence was 4 days. Five to eight days of ceftriaxone therapy was adequate for the patients who were cured. The 14 patients treated with ceftriaxone included 13 patients who were considered cured, although 1 was a convalescent carrier, and one patient who was a treatment failure. There were no relapses in the 11 patients who were monitored for 1 to 8 months. Both peak and trough concentrations of ceftriaxone were well above the ceftriaxone MICs for the Salmonella typhi strains isolated from the patients. We have demonstrated that ceftriaxone can be used successfully in the treatment of typhoid fever in some patients. The advantages of its use include rapid clinical response, short course of treatment, and lack of serious adverse drug reactions.