Indications: infections due to sensitive Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria; useful in urinary tract infections; poor activity against H. influenzae, respiratory tract infections; otitis media; sinusitis; skin and soft tissue infections.

Cautions: penicillin sensitivity; renal impairment, false positive urinary glucose (if tested for reducing substances) and false positive coomb's test; pregnancy: & breast feeding.

Contra-indications: cephalosporin hypersensitivity; porphyria

Side Effects: diarrhoea and rarely antibiotic-associated colitis (both more likely with higher doses), nausea and vomiting, abdominal discomfort, headache; allergic reactions including rashes, pruritus, urticaria, serum sickness-like reactions with rashes, fever and arthralgia, and anaphylaxis; Stevens-Johnson syndrome, toxic epidermal necrolysis reported; disturbances in liver enzymes, transient hepatitis and cholestatic jaundice; other side effects: reported include eosinophilia and blood disorders (including thrombocytopenia, leucopenia, agranulocytosis, aplastic anaemia and haemolytic anaemia); reversible interstitial nephritis, hyperactivity, nervousness, sleep disturbances, hallucinations, confusion, hypertonia, and dizziness.

Dose: Patients over 40 kg, 0.5–1 g twice daily; skin, soft tissue, and simple urinary-tract infections, 1 g daily; CHILD under 1 year, 25 mg/kg daily in divided doses; 1–6 years, 250 mg twice daily; over 6 years, 500 mg twice daily.