Ciprofloxacin Dosing for Bacteremia

Adult Dosing

When switching to oral therapy after clinical improvement, 750 mg orally every 12 hours is recommended, according to MMWR Recommendations and Reports 1
Oral ciprofloxacin is rapidly and well absorbed with no substantial loss by first-pass metabolism, as reported by the American Academy of Family Physicians 2

For pediatric patients, 10 mg/kg IV every 8 hours or every 12 hours, with a maximum dose of 400 mg per dose, is recommended, as suggested by the Journal of Microbiology, Immunology and Infection 3, 4
The oral dosage for children is 15 mg/kg every 8 or 12 hours, with a maximum dose of 500 mg per dose every 8 hours or 750 mg per dose every 12 hours, according to the Journal of Microbiology, Immunology and Infection 3
In children, ciprofloxacin dosage should not exceed 1 g per day, as recommended by the American Academy of Family Physicians 2

For uncomplicated bacteremia, a minimum of 2 weeks of therapy is recommended, while for complicated bacteremia, 4-6 weeks of therapy may be necessary, depending on the extent of infection, as suggested by the Infectious Diseases Society of America 5
Follow-up blood cultures should be performed 2-4 days after initial positive cultures to document clearance of bacteremia, as recommended by the Infectious Diseases Society of America 5
Fluoroquinolone resistance rates in E. coli and other gram-negative organisms should be considered when selecting empiric therapy, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics 6
Ciprofloxacin use in pediatric patients should be limited to situations where benefits outweigh risks, with infectious disease specialist consultation recommended, as suggested by the Journal of Microbiology, Immunology and Infection 3, 4