Inclusion Criteria:

• Patients who attained full age (18 years) with intra-abdominal abscesses documented by:

A) Laparotomy revealing intra-abdominal abscess or macroscopic gastrointestinal perforation OR

B) Suspected intra-abdominal abscess and scheduled for operation with at least three of the following criteria:

• fever,
• leucocytosis,
• symptoms referable to the abdominal cavity (nausea, pain),
• tenderness with or without rebound / abdominal wall rigidity,
• radiological evidence for abscess or gastrointestinal perforation.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patients with the following:

  • indwelling peritoneal catheter,
  • presumed spontaneous bacterial peritonits,
  • peripancreatic sepsis or infection secondary to pancreatitis,
  • peptic or traumatic perforation of gastrointestinal tract of < 24 h duration,
  • traumatic perforation of the small or large bowel of < 12h duration,
  • transmural necrosis of the intestine due to acute embolic, thrombotic or obstructive occlusions,
  • acute cholecystitis,
  • appendicitis without perforation or abscess,
  • required open abdomen techniques for management,
  • gynaecological infection,
  • known hypersensivity to any of the study drugs,
  • lifethreatening disease with life expectancy of less than 48 hours,
  • neutropenia with neutrophil count < 1000 cells/µl,
  • receiving chronic treatment with imunosuppressant therapy,
  • HIV-seropositives with CD4 count < 200 cells/µl,
  • end stage hepatic cirrhosis CHILD PUGH C,
  • central or peripheral neuropathy,
  • bradycardia,
  • symptomatic dysrhythmia in medical history,
  • syndromes of QTc prolongation or use of concomittant medicaments reported to increase QT interval,
  • disorder of the electrolyte balance,
  • previous history of tendinopathy with quinolones,
  • previously enrolled in the trial or use of any investigational drug within the previous 30 days