Evaluation of pefloxacin in experimental Escherichia coli meningitis.

The therapeutic efficacy of the fluoroquinolone pefloxacin mesylate was compared with those of cefotaxime and chloramphenicol in a rabbit model of Escherichia coli meningitis. The mean percent penetration (+/- the standard deviation) of pefloxacin (range, 1 to 30 mg/kg per h) into cerebrospinal fluid of infected rabbits was 51.3 +/- 14.0 compared with 11.1 +/- 1.0 for cefotaxime (100 mg/kg per h) and 22.3 +/- 1.5 for chloramphenicol (60 mg/kg per h). The rate of bacterial killing (delta log10 CFU/ml per h) did not change over a dosage range of 1 to 15 mg/kg per h (-0.37 +/- 0.15, 20% sterile). At 30 mg/kg per h, the rate achieved (-0.77 +/- 0.18, 100% sterile) was comparable to that of cefotaxime (-0.88 +/- 0.23, 100% sterile) and superior to that of chloramphenicol (-0.10 +/- 0.14, 0% sterile).