title: Cefotaxime in the treatment of staphylococcal infections. Comparison of in vitro and in vivo studies.
abstract: Staphylococcus aureus strains are well-established pathogens that may cause mild to serious life-threatening disease. Coagulase-negative staphylococci, particularly Staphylococcus epidermidis, also have a pathogenic role in humans and cause infections primarily associated with prosthetic devices and indwelling catheters, whereas Staphylococcus saprophyticus usually causes urinary tract infections. Cefotaxime is a "third-generation" cephalosporin that is stable to the staphylococcal beta-lactamases. In vitro studies over the last 15 years have shown that this parenteral cephalosporin has remained highly active (MIC90 ranges of < or = 2-8 micrograms/ml) against oxacillin-susceptible staphylococci. Cefotaxime therapy of staphylococcal infections has resulted in clinical cure/improvement rates ranging from 78%-100% and bacteriologic eradication rates ranging from 85%-100% in a wide variety of infections. Contrary to contemporary dogma, this "third-generation" cephalosporin appears to be efficacious against staphylococcal infections from a review of 15 years of clinical experience.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Louisiana State University Medical Center, New Orleans, USA.
authors.forename: K E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Aldridge
mesh_terms: D002439:Cefotaxime / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002511:Cephalosporins / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D006801:Humans; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects; D013212:Staphylococcus epidermidis / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D002511:Cephalosporins; D002439:Cefotaxime