Cefotaxime is a cephalosporin (SEF a low spor in) antibiotic. It works by fighting bacteria in your body.

Cefotaxime is used to treat many kinds of bacterial infections, including severe or life-threatening forms. Cefotaxime is also used to prevent infections in people having surgery.

Cefotaxime may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.

You should not use this medication if you are allergic to cefotaxime or to similar antibiotics, such as cefdinir (Omnicef), cefprozil (Cefzil), cefuroxime (Ceftin), cephalexin (Keflex), and others.

Before using this medication, tell your doctor if you are allergic to any drugs (especially penicillin). Also tell your doctor if you have liver or kidney disease, diabetes, a stomach or intestinal disorder, or a heart rhythm disorder.

Use this medication for the entire length of time prescribed by your doctor. Your symptoms may get better before the infection is completely treated. Cefotaxime will not treat a viral infection such as the common cold or flu.

Antibiotic medicines can cause diarrhea, which may be a sign of a new infection. If you have diarrhea that is watery or has blood in it, call your doctor. Do not use any medicine to stop the diarrhea unless your doctor has told you to.

This medication can cause unusual results with certain lab tests for glucose (sugar) in the urine. Tell any doctor who treats you that you are using cefotaxime.

You should not use this medication if you are allergic to cefotaxime, or to other cephalosporin antibiotics, such as:

• cefaclor (Raniclor);

• cefadroxil (Duricef);

• cefazolin (Ancef);

• cefdinir (Omnicef);

• cefditoren (Spectracef);

• cefpodoxime (Vantin);

• cefprozil (Cefzil);

• ceftibuten (Cedax);

• cefuroxime (Ceftin);

• cephalexin (Keflex); or

• cephradine (Velosef).

To make sure you can safely use cefotaxime, tell your doctor if you have any of these other conditions:

• allergy to penicillin;

• kidney disease;

• liver disease;

• a stomach or intestinal disorder such as colitis;

• diabetes; or

• a heart rhythm disorder.

FDA pregnancy category B. This medication is not expected to be harmful to an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment.

Cefotaxime can pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing baby. Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.