Prospective comparative trial of moxalactam versus amplicillin or chloramphenicol for treatment of haemophilus influenzae type b meningitis in children

In a prospective, randomized study, moxalactam in 44 children was compared with amplicillin or chloramphenicol in 47 children for the treatment of Haemophilus influenzae type b meningitis. Both groups were comparable in terms of clinical and laboratory findings at admission. The hospital course, neurologic sequelae including deafness, and number of deaths were the same for both groups. The incidence of adverse reactions also was the same except that diarrhea and thrombocytosis occurred significantly (P≤0.04) more frequently in children given moxalactam. Moxalactam was equivalent to ampicillin or chloramphenicol in the treatment of H. influenzae type b meningitis in children.