Cefpodoxime & Typhoid

Cefpodoxime is a member of a class of antibiotics called cephalosporins. Like other cephalosporins, it kills bacteria by disrupting cell wall synthesis. Although typhoid fever is typically treated with other antibiotics, cefpodoxime has been proposed as a possible treatment for the disease.

Significance

• Typhoid fever is a serious and potentially life-threatening illness caused by infection with Salmonella serotype typhi. While it's less common in first world countries, typhoid remains endemic in many third world nations. Recent years have witnessed the emergence of S. typhi strains resistant to multiple antibiotics, forcing doctors to seek other options for treatment.

Effects

• Cefixime, azithromycin and ceftriaxone are antibiotics often employed to fight typhoid fever. A 2008 article in the journal Antimicrobial Agents Chemotherapy, however, suggested that cefpodoxime might be a preferable option in treating children. A study published in 2007 in the journal Indian Pediatrics followed the results of treatment with cefixime and cefpodoxime in 140 children with typhoid fever; the study found the effect of both drugs was similar, although cefpodoxime was the cheaper of the two drugs.

Considerations

• There have been very few studies published that evaluated cefpodoxime as a treatment for typhoid, so the available evidence is limited. Nonetheless, the data that has been published suggests cefpodoxime may be just as effective as some of the other options. None of the above should be interpreted as medical advice, however; if you believe that you or one of your relatives has contracted typhoid fever, you should seek medical attention immediately.