Cefuroxime, sold under the brand name Zinacef among others, is a second-generation cephalosporin antibiotic used to treat and prevent a number of bacterial infections. These include pneumonia, meningitis, otitis media, sepsis, urinary tract infections, and Lyme disease. It is used by mouth or by injection into a vein or muscle.Common side effects include nausea, diarrhea, allergic reactions, and pain at the site of injection. Serious side effects may include Clostridium difficile infection, anaphylaxis, and Stevens–Johnson syndrome. Use in pregnancy and breastfeeding is believed to be safe. It is a second-generation cephalosporin and works by interfering with a bacterias ability to make a cell wall resulting in its death.Cefuroxime was patented in 1971, and approved for medical use in 1977. It is on the World Health Organizations List of Essential Medicines. In 2017, it was the 342nd most commonly prescribed medication in the United States, with more than 800 thousand prescriptions. Medical uses
Cefuroxime is active against many bacteria including susceptible strains of Staphylococci and Streptococci, as well as a range of gram negative organisms. As with the other cephalosporins, it is susceptible to beta-lactamase, although as a second-generation variety, it is less so. Hence, it may have greater activity against Haemophilus influenzae, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, and Lyme disease. Unlike other second-generation cephalosporins, cefuroxime can cross the blood-brain barrier.A systematic review found high quality evidence that injecting the eye with cefuroxime after cataract surgery will lower the chance of developing endophthalmitis after surgery. Side effects
Cefuroxime is generally well tolerated, and its side effects are usually transient.
WFH as % of median reference value is calculated this way:
  
    
      
        
          W
          F
          H
        
        =
        
          
            
              weight of a given child
            
            
              median weight for a given child of that height
            
          
        
        ×
        100
      
    
    {\displaystyle \mathrm {WFH} ={\frac {\mbox{weight of a given child}}{\mbox{median weight for a given child of that height}}}\times 100}
  Cutoff points may vary, but <80% (close to −2 Z-score) is often used.