From the Guidelines
Cefadroxil is effective against Pasteurella multocida, but its use should be considered in the context of the specific infection and local resistance patterns. This first-generation cephalosporin antibiotic is effective against many gram-positive and some gram-negative bacteria, including Pasteurella multocida, which is commonly found in animal bites and respiratory infections.
Key Points to Consider
- For Pasteurella infections, cefadroxil is typically dosed at 500 mg to 1 gram orally twice daily for adults, with treatment duration usually ranging from 7-14 days depending on infection severity and clinical response 1.
- For children, the dosage is usually 30 mg/kg/day divided into two doses, as recommended for other infections such as group A streptococcal pharyngitis 1.
- Cefadroxil works by inhibiting bacterial cell wall synthesis, leading to cell lysis and death of susceptible organisms.
- While cefadroxil is effective against Pasteurella, other antibiotics like amoxicillin-clavulanate may be preferred for animal bite infections since they provide broader coverage against the polymicrobial nature of these wounds.
- Patients should complete the full course of antibiotics even if symptoms improve before completion to prevent recurrence and antibiotic resistance.
Clinical Considerations
- The choice of antibiotic should be guided by the severity of the infection, the presence of any underlying health conditions, and local antibiotic resistance patterns.
- It is essential to monitor patients for signs of treatment failure or adverse reactions to the antibiotic.
- In cases where the infection is severe or does not respond to initial treatment, alternative antibiotics or combination therapy may be necessary.
From the Research
Cefadroxil Coverage of Pasteurella multocida
- Cefadroxil is not effective against Pasteurella multocida, as stated in the study 2.
- The study 2 suggests that cefadroxil should not be used for empiric therapy of animal bite wounds due to its lack of in vitro efficacy against P. multocida.
- Other studies, such as 3 and 4, have investigated the in vitro activity of various antimicrobial agents against P. multocida, but do not provide information on the efficacy of cefadroxil.
- Study 5 discusses the clinical results of cefadroxil in children and its pharmacokinetics, but does not address its effectiveness against P. multocida.
- Study 6 examines the in vitro activity of ceftaroline against P. multocida, but does not provide information on cefadroxil.
Alternative Antimicrobial Agents
- The study 3 identifies alternative oral agents, such as ampicillin, amoxicillin-clavulanate, and cefuroxime, that may be effective against P. multocida.
- Study 4 suggests that penicillin, tulathromycin, enrofloxacin, and cefquinome may be effective against P. multocida.
- Study 2 recommends using agents such as penicillin, ampicillin, amoxicillin-clavulanic acid, tetracycline, minocycline, chloramphenicol, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, and cefuroxime for empiric therapy of animal bite wounds.