How the dose is calculated
Cefotaxime is dosed in mg/kg/day divided every 8 hours for standard infections; severe infections including meningitis use a higher total daily dose divided every 6 hours. This is an injectable (IV/IM) antibiotic — no suspension volume conversion applies.
Typical dosing by indication
| Indication | Dose | Frequency | Max |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | 100 mg/kg/day | every 8h (3×/day) | 6000 mg/day |
| Severe/meningitis-range | 200 mg/kg/day | every 6h (4×/day) | 12000 mg/day |
Cefotaxime is supplied as a powder for reconstitution (IV/IM) — there is no oral suspension, so this calculator reports the mg dose only; follow your local pharmacy's reconstitution and infusion protocol for the actual volume to administer.
Clinical use
- Cefotaxime is widely used in neonatal and paediatric sepsis regimens because of its reliable CSF penetration and lack of calcium-precipitation risk (unlike ceftriaxone), which makes it a preferred third-generation cephalosporin in neonates.
- Higher, more frequent meningitis-range dosing is used for CNS infections requiring greater CSF concentrations.
- Broad Gram-negative and Gram-positive coverage (excluding Pseudomonas and enterococci) makes it a common empirical choice pending culture results.
- Requires dose-interval adjustment in significant renal impairment.
Frequently asked questions
Why is cefotaxime preferred over ceftriaxone in neonates?
Ceftriaxone carries a risk of fatal calcium precipitation when given with calcium-containing IV fluids in neonates — cefotaxime does not share this specific risk, making it the preferred third-generation cephalosporin for this age group.
What is cefotaxime used for?
Cefotaxime treats a broad range of serious bacterial infections, including neonatal and paediatric sepsis, meningitis, and severe pneumonia, usually as part of an empirical hospital regimen.
Why does the meningitis dose differ from the standard dose?
Meningitis requires higher and more frequent dosing to achieve adequate cerebrospinal fluid concentrations across the blood-brain barrier, compared to the standard dose used for infections outside the CNS.
Is cefotaxime available as a tablet or syrup?
No — cefotaxime is only available as an injectable (IV or IM) formulation; there is no oral tablet or suspension form.
References
- Puopolo KM, et al. Management of Neonates at Risk for Early-Onset Sepsis (AAP). Pediatrics. 2018.
- Tunkel AR, et al. Practice Guidelines for the Management of Bacterial Meningitis (IDSA). Clin Infect Dis. 2004.
- British National Formulary for Children (BNFc) — Cefotaxime.