ANTIBIOTIC PENETRATION OF EXPERIMENTAL INTRAABDOMINAL ABSCESSES

Intra-abdominal abscess is seldom adequately treated by systemic antib iotics alone and often requires surgical or computed tomography-guided drainage for resolution. Abscess penetration of six currently used an tibiotics was examined in a murine intra-abdominal abseess model. Ampi cillin/sulbactam, cefmetazole, clindamycin, and trospectomycin penetra ted intra-abdominal abscesses to a greater degree than cefoxitin and c eftriaxone. Abscess pus antibiotic levels were not significantly highe r after multiple doses than after a single dose. Pus antibiotic levels below the MIC(90) for Bacteroides and E. coli within intra-abdominal abscess were observed for most antibiotics with the doses used in this study. Selection of antibiotics with a greater ability to penetrate a bscess may be important in optimally treating patients with abdominal infection.