Treatment of severe staphylococcal infections with cefotaxime and fosfomycin in combination.

In a prospective study, 23 severe staphylococcal infections (9 meningitis, 10 bone and joint infections, 3 septicaemia, 1 superinfection of a congenital varicella) were treated with cefotaxime and fosfomycin in combination. There was a synergistic effect of the combination for 14 of the 17 strains tested. Three hours after the end of the infusion, mean CSF concentrations of cefotaxime and fosfomycin were respectively at day 2 3.2 mg/l and 31.4 mg/l, at day 4 2.9 mg/l and 33.9 mg/l. All the patients with meningitis or acute bone and joint infections recovered satisfactorily without relapses. Two superinfections were observed (one systemic candidosis and one septicaemia due to Pseudomonas aeruginosa). Clinical tolerance was good and treatment was discontinued for side effects in only three patients.