title: Efficacy of cefmenoxime in experimental group B streptococcal bacteraemia and meningitis.
abstract: Cefmenoxime, a new semisynthetic cephalosporin, was evaluated in vitro and in vivo in comparison with penicillin G against a type III group B streptococcal strain. In vitro, the minimal inhibitory and minimal bactericidal concentrations of the two drugs were very close (less than or equal to 2 dilutions). In-vivo studies using experimental bacteraemia and meningitis in newborn rats revealed that despite similar drug levels, cefmenoxime had significantly greater bactericidal titres in blood at 6-7 h after administration and bacterial clearance from blood was significantly faster with cefmenoxime than with penicillin G at the end of one day of treatment. In addition, all animals with cefmenoxime therapy had bactericidal titres in cerebrospinal fluid greater than or equal to 1:8 at 1-2 h after administration, whereas most (67%) animals receiving penicillin G had titres less than 1:8. However, overall efficacy of cefmenoxime was similar to that of penicillin G. These findings suggest that cefmenoxime may be an effective alternative against group B streptococcal infection.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015281:Cefmenoxime; D002439:Cefotaxime / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008586:Meningitis, Pneumococcal / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D010400:Penicillin G / Q000627:therapeutic use; D051381:Rats; D018805:Sepsis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013292:Streptococcus agalactiae / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D015281:Cefmenoxime; D002439:Cefotaxime; D010400:Penicillin G