Moxifloxacin Flies Solo for Intra-abdominal Infection

Intra-abdominal infections are almost always polymicrobial and need broad-spectrum antibiotic coverage. How well does a single new-generation quinolone perform?

This industry-sponsored, blinded, multinational randomized trial included patients with intra-abdominal infection (most commonly appendicitis or intra-abdominal abscess) awaiting surgery or percutaneous drainage. Patients were assigned to receive intravenous moxifloxacin or piperacillin/tazobactam; IV moxifloxacin patients finished treatment with oral moxifloxacin, and IV piperacillin/tazobactam patients with oral amoxicillin/clavulanate. Among a long list of exclusion criteria were gynecologic infections, pancreatic infections, transmural intestinal necrosis, peritoneal catheters, a…