Comparison of ceftazidime, cefuroxime and methicillin in the treatment of Staphylococcus aureus endocarditis in rabbits.

Ceftazidime, cefuroxime and methicillin proved equally effective in the therapy of experimental Staphylococcus aureus endocarditis in rabbits with a dosing regimen of 40 mg/kg intramuscularly at 8-hourly intervals for three days. Treated animals all demonstrated a thousand to 10,000-fold reduction in the levels of bacteria in the vegetations compared with untreated controls. In-vitro sensitivities of the organism to the test antibiotics were not predictive of therapeutic efficacy in vivo.