Properties
Deprim® is usually bactericidal and is active against the following organisms: S.epidermidis and aureus, including methicillin-resistant strains, S. pneumoniae and viridans streptococci, most enterobacteriaceae, Salmonella and Shigella species, Haemophilus influenzae and Moraxella catarrhalis. Enterococcus, Neisseria gonorrhoea, Pseudomonas aeroginosa and anaerobes are usually resistant or less susceptible.
Deprim® is also effective against Pneumocystis carinii, Listeria monocytogenes, many Nocardia species, Yersinia enterocolitica and Legionella pneumophilia.
Indications
Deprim® should only be used where, in the judgement of the physician, the benefits of treatment outweigh any possible risks.
The in vitro susceptibility of bacteria to antibiotics varies geographically and with time. The local situation should always be taken into consideration when selecting antibiotic treatment.
Dosage
It is preferable to administer Deprim® with some food or drink to minimize the possibility of gastro-intestinal disturbances.
In acute infections, apart from gonorrhoea, Deprim should be given for at east 5 days or until the patient has been symptom-free for 2 days. Treatment of prostatitis and acute brucellosis should be maintained for a period of at least 4 weeks, whilst nocardiosis, actinomycetoma and South American blastomycosis require long-term therapy.
Side effect
Nausea, vomiting and anorexia are the most common gastro-intestinal side-effects caused by Co-trimoxazole. These effects usually decrease with time, but medical attention may be needed if they persist. Other gastro-intestinal side-effects include diarhhoea, glossitis, stomatitis and abdominal pain. Hepatitis with elevated hepatic enzymes and bilirubin, cholestatic jaundice, hepatic necrosis and pancreatitis have been reported.