. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2021 Mar 1.

Published in final edited form as: J Intern Med. 2019 Nov 21;287(3):283–300. doi: 10.1111/joim.13007

Table 1.

Empiric antibiotic treatment options [30, 67, 68]

Clinical syndrome or site of infection	Empiric antibiotic suggestions^a
Liver (or other intra-abdominal) abscess or pneumonia	β-lactam/β-lactamase inhibitors, third-generation cephalosporins, fluoroquinolones, carbapenems^b or aminoglycosides^c
Central nervous system infection	Third-generation cephalosporins or carbapenems^b
Endophthalmitis	Intravitreal antibiotics (cefazolin, ceftazidime, aminoglycosides or imipenem) plus intravenous antibiotics (variable, but usually cephalosporins)
Prostate abscess	Fluoroquinolones or trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole

This should be modified after in vitro susceptibility results are obtained.

This should be reserved for infections in which there is a strong suspicion of extended-spectrum-β-lactamase (ESBL) production.

This should only be considered in combination therapy.