title: A multicentre study of the in-vitro activity of cefotaxime, cefuroxime, ceftazidime, ofloxacin and ciprofloxacin against blood and urinary pathogens.
abstract: The in-vitro susceptibilities of aerobic bacteria isolated from 1804 blood and 4529 urine specimens collected at nine hospitals in the UK were examined. An agar dilution method was used to determine the MICs of each isolate to three cephalosporins, cefotaxime, cefuroxime and ceftazidime, and to two fluoroquinolones, ofloxacin and ciprofloxacin. Sensitivities were then calculated using British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy recommended breakpoints. Of the cephalosporins tested cefotaxime was the most active against the Enterobacteriaceae. All the systemic staphylococcus isolates collected were sensitive to both cefotaxime and cefuroxime. As expected, ceftazidime was the only cephalosporin active against the Pseudomonas isolates. Both quinolones were highly active against the Enterobacteriaceae and Pseudomonas spp. They also demonstrated good Gram-positive activity, particularly against Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus spp.
authors.affiliation: Scottish Antibiotic Reference Laboratory, Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Edinburgh.
authors.forename: S G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Amyes
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Baird
authors.forename: D W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Crook
authors.forename: S H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Gillespie
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Howard
authors.forename: B A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Oppenhiem
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Pedler
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Paull
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Tompkins
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Lawrie
mesh_terms: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016470:Bacteremia / Q000382:microbiology*; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects*; D001437:Bacteriuria / Q000382:microbiology*; D002439:Cefotaxime / Q000494:pharmacology; D002442:Ceftazidime / Q000494:pharmacology; D002444:Cefuroxime / Q000494:pharmacology; D002511:Cephalosporins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002939:Ciprofloxacin / Q000494:pharmacology; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial; D006801:Humans; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D015242:Ofloxacin / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D002511:Cephalosporins; D002939:Ciprofloxacin; D002442:Ceftazidime; D015242:Ofloxacin; D002439:Cefotaxime; D002444:Cefuroxime