title: The in vitro antimicrobial activity of desacetylcefotaxime compared to other related beta-lactams.
abstract: Like all other cephalosporins that contain an acetyl side chain in the 3' position, cefotaxime (CTX) is partially desacetylated in vivo. Desacetylcefotaxime (des-CTX) possesses a broad antimicrobial spectrum and high beta-lactamase stability. With the exception of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Morganella morganii, Bacteroides fragilis, and Staphylococcus aureus, most strains of other species tested usually had mean MICs of des-CTX lower than 1 microgram/ml. Its activity is generally lower than that of the parent compound. It was only against some strains of P. cepacia that des-CTX surpassed the activity of CTX. The activity of des-CTX markedly exceeds the activity of many therapeutically used cephalosporins. This is especially true for Haemophilus influenzae, Neisseria meningitidis, most species of Enterobacteriaceae, and streptococci other than Streptococcus faecalis.
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D002439:Cefotaxime / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D002511:Cephalosporins / Q000494:pharmacology; D004755:Enterobacteriaceae / Q000187:drug effects; D006190:Haemophilus / Q000187:drug effects; D006602:Hexosyltransferases; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D002267:Muramoylpentapeptide Carboxypeptidase / Q000378:metabolism; D009343:Neisseria / Q000187:drug effects; D046915:Penicillin-Binding Proteins; D010406:Penicillins / Q000378:metabolism; D010458:Peptidyl Transferases; D011549:Pseudomonas / Q000187:drug effects; D013291:Streptococcus / Q000187:drug effects; D001618:beta-Lactamases / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D002511:Cephalosporins; D046915:Penicillin-Binding Proteins; D010406:Penicillins; C029281:desacetylcefotaxime; D010458:Peptidyl Transferases; D006602:Hexosyltransferases; D002267:Muramoylpentapeptide Carboxypeptidase; D001618:beta-Lactamases; D002439:Cefotaxime