Cefdinir

Cefdinir is a semi-synthetic antibiotic in the third generation of the cephalosporin family of antibiotics proven effective for common bacterial infections of the ear, sinus, throat, and skin. Abbott Laboratories markets cefdinir under the brand name Omnicef.

Cefdinir is administered orally. It is a broad-spectrum bacteriacide; it can be used to treat a long list of harmful bacteria including Hemophilus influenzae, Moraxella catarrhalis, E. coli, Klebsiella, and Proteus mirabilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae and S. pyogenes. It is not an effective treatment against Pseudomonas. Therapeutic uses of cefdinir include otitis media, soft-tissue infections, and respiratory tract infections. It was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in December of 1997.

Dosage, schedule, and duration varies according to the type of infection. For adults, the average dosage is between 300 and 600mg per 12 or 24 hour period, for the duration of between 5 and 10 days. Average paediatric dosage is between 7 and 14mg/kg (schedule and duration the same as adult). According to the Omnicef website, side effects include "(...) diarrhoea, vaginal infections or inflammation, nausea, headache, and abdominal pain."

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