Plasma and ascitic fluid concentrations of ofloxacin were determined in 12 cirrhotic patients after a single dose and repeated 200 mg oral doses. The single dose kinetics were compared to those obtained in 12 healthy volunteers. Mean plasma elimination half-life was 11.6 h in cirrhotics and 7.0 h in controls. Mean total clearance was 2.3 times lower in patients than in controls, due to a significant decrease of renal clearance of the drug, unrelated to creatinine clearance. Mean apparent volume of distribution was 1.2 l/kg in patients and 1.8 l/kg in controls. Estimated by the ratio of AUC in peritoneal fluid and plasma, ascitic fluid penetration was 80% after the first oral dose. Ascitic fluid concentrations equaled corresponding plasma concentrations after 10 h, without pronounced accumulation of ofloxacin in ascites. We may conclude that, in cirrhotic patients with normal serum creatinine, a significant impairment of renal tubular handling of ofloxacin could be observed and led to a delayed elimination half-life of the drug. Because of its broad spectrum of activity, low side-effect profile, and large ascitic fluid penetration after oral administration, ofloxacin appears to be a new therapeutic approach of severe infections in cirrhotic patients, in particular spontaneous bacterial peritonitis.

Summary. Botulism, a food-borne toxin-mediated disease caused by Clostridium botulinum is still a common disease, which is most frequent in the rural environment; 108 cases, 66 males and 42 females, average age 32 years, were recorded from 1965 to 1990 in the infectious disease department of the University Hospital of Poitiers (France). In 83 % of patients, the food responsible was home-cured ham. Mean incubation time was 3-4 days; digestive symptoms were observed in 93% of cases, ocular symptoms in 92% and urinary tract dysfunction in 22 %. A scale of severity was used to classify the patients into those suffering from severe (6), intermediate (50)

Francisella tularensis, the agent of tularemia, is a Gram-negative coccobacillus primarily pathogen for animals and occasionally for humans. The clinical manifestations of tularemia include pneumonia, ulceroglandular, oropharyngeal, or typhoidal disease. Rare manifestations are also described, but to our knowledge, we describe here the first case of F. tularensis aortitis in a human. Diagnosis was confirmed by the presence of F. tularensis in blood culture, by the presence of F. tularensis DNA in the aortic biopsy and by specific IgG and IgM responses against the bacteria. The outcome was favorable after surgery and specific antimicrobial therapy.

Plasma and ascitic fluid concentrations of pefloxacin in 10 cirrhotic patients and 8 healthy volunteers were determined following administration of a single oral dose of 400 mg. The mean elimination half-life was significantly increased in the patients (29.0 h) compared to in 8 healthy volunteers (12.3 h). In patients, the total plasma clearance (2.71 vs 6.85 l/h) and volume of distribution (1.12 vs 1.67 l/kg) were decreased. Estimated by the ratio of the AUC in peritoneal fluid and plasma, ascitic fluid penetration was 68% after one oral dose, and pronounced accumulation of pefloxacin in ascites was found after repeated doses. Oral pefloxacin would seem to be a convenient and useful treatment of spontaneous, gram-negative, bacterial peritonitis in cirrhosis. However, the decreased hepatic metabolism of the drug leads to a marked accumulation in plasma and ascites after repeated doses, and a reduced dose is required in these patients.

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