1 May 2026Injectable drugs

Cefotaxime Injectable: Dosing and Precautions

Cefotaxime guidance for meningitis, urinary infection, pneumonia, and gonococcal conjunctivitis, with neonatal dosing included.

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Cefotaxime

Prescription under medical supervision

Source reviewed

source date listed on the source page

Guide category

Injectable drugs

Safety boundary

Prescription medicine information for clinician-guided use.

Kenza Health Hub presents this medicine page as structured health education. Check dose, route, interactions, pregnancy or breast-feeding considerations, and local protocol with a qualified clinician or pharmacist. Read our medical editorial policy.

This guide page is for structured reference only and does not replace a clinician, pharmacist, or emergency review. Dose choice, route choice, interactions, and safety decisions still need professional judgment.

Therapeutic action

Third-generation cephalosporin antibacterial.

Indications

Bacterial meningitis, in combination with another antibacterial.
Urinary infection.
Pneumonia.
Gonococcal conjunctivitis, if ceftriaxone is not available or contraindicated.

Forms and strengths, route of administration

In neonates, cefotaxime is used as specified below.

Powder for injection, in 250 mg and 500 mg vials, to be dissolved in 2 ml water for injection, for IM or slow IV injection or IV infusion in 0.9% sodium chloride or 5% glucose.

Dose

Meningitis, urinary infection, pneumonia

0 to 7 days under 2 kg: 50 mg/kg every 12 hours.
0 to 7 days 2 kg and over: 50 mg/kg every 8 hours.
8 days to under 1 month: 50 mg/kg every 8 hours.

Gonococcal conjunctivitis

100 mg/kg IM single dose.

Duration

Depending on indication and clinical response.

Contra-indications, adverse effects, precautions

Once reconstituted, the solution must be used immediately.
Do not administer to patients allergic to cephalosporins or penicillins.
Administer with caution and reduce dosage in patients with renal impairment.
Avoid or monitor combination with other nephrotoxic drugs.
May cause gastrointestinal disturbances, haematological disorders, heart rhythm disorders if IV injection is too fast, allergic reactions, and cutaneous reactions sometimes severe.
Do not mix with other drugs in the same syringe or bottle.

Source

MSF Essential drugs practical guidelines (January 2026)

This page combines source-derived medicine reference sections with Kenza editorial context, while leaving out the Storage and Remarks sections from the source batch.

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