Helvetica paediatrica acta
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Ceftazidime, a new cephalosporin antibiotic, was used as monotherapy to treat 75 term neonates with suspected perinatal bacterial infection. Septicemia was documented in ten patients (13%). ⋯ The overall clinical, bacteriological and laboratory response to ceftazidime was satisfactory and the drug was well tolerated. However, reservations with regard to study design, limited gram-positive drug activity and potential emergence of drug resistance require further well-controlled clinical evaluations of ceftazidime in neonatal intensive care units, before definite recommendations for the use of this antibiotic in perinatal infection can be formulated.