Gentamicin in paediatrics.

Gentamicin is a broad-spectrum, bactericidal aminoglycoside antibiotic in its tenth year of 
use in the U.K. League tables of antibiotics, ranked by disc 
sensitivity tests against urinary tract pathogens and Staph. aureus confirm its 
remarkable effectiveness in 1973. Bacteriodes sp. and some streptococci are the 
only major omissions from its spectrum. MIC of sensitive strains is 
usually less than or equal to 2 microg/ml although Pseudomonas may 
require greater than or equal to 4 microg/ml. The therapeutic range 
aimed for is 2-12 microg/ml in serum and peak levels are 
measured 1 hr after intramuscular and 20 min after intravenous injection. 
Most workers regard a level of 12 microg/ml as potentially toxic 
and try to avoid exceeding it. 