Cefodizime (THR-221, CDZM), a new cephalosporin antibiotic, was evaluated for its safety and efficacy in 27 children with various bacterial infections. The episodes of infections included pneumonia (6 cases), bronchopneumonia (11 cases), lung abscess (1 case), acute pharyngitis (2 cases), cervical lymphadenitis (1 case), infected cephalohematoma (1 case), urinary tract infection (1 case), sepsis (2 cases) and purulent meningitis (2 cases). CDZM was effective in all but one, and its efficacy rate was 96.3%. The main etiologic pathogens were Staphylococcus aureus, Haemophilus influenzae, Haemophilus parainfluenzae, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Streptococcus agalactiae, Escherichia coli, Citrobacter freundii and Branhamella catarrhalis. The elimination rate was 92.3%. As adverse reactions or abnormalities, diarrhea was encountered in 4 cases. A slight elevation of serum transaminases or eosinophils was observed in 4 cases. The serum half-life was approximately 1.8-1.9 hours in children after intravenous bolus injections. Concentrations of CDZM in cerebrospinal fluids were well above MIC values of CDZM against those organisms responsible for the infections. The data suggest that CDZM is a safe and effective antibiotic when used in children with bacterial infections including purulent meningitis.