In vitro activity of cefepime and cefotaxime compared to six other agents against 350 penicillin-susceptible and penicillin-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae.
From January 1996 to December 1997, we evaluated the in vitro activity of 8 antimicrobials (penicillin, amoxycillin, amoxycillin/clavulanate, cefuroxime, ceftazidime, cefepime, cefotaxime, and imipenem) against 350 Streptococcus pneumoniae clinical isolates collected from two hospitals. Imipenem, cefepime and cefotaxime were the most active antibiotics against penicillin-intermediate (PI) and highly penicillin-resistant (PR) S. pneumoniae with MICs 2- to 8-fold lower than penicillin. Against PI and PR pneumococci amoxycillin and amoxycillin/clavulanate were 2-times less active than cefepime and cefotaxime, while cefuroxime was 4-8-times less active. The majority of strains of serotypes 6B, 23F, 14, 9 and 19 were penicillin-resistant, both intermediate (68%) and highly resistant (32%).
Gomez-Lus
R
R
Department of Microbiology, University Hospital Lozano Blesa, Zaragoza, Spain. gomezlus@posta.unizar.es
Navarro
C
C
Egido
P
P
Aspiroz
C
C
Goñi
P
P
Vergara
Y
Y
Garcia
C
C
Duran
E
E
Castillo
J
J
Rubio
M C
MC
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D000077723:Cefepime; D002439:Cefotaxime / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002511:Cephalosporins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D010403:Penicillin Resistance; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D013296:Streptococcus pneumoniae / Q000187:drug effects*
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D002511:Cephalosporins; D000077723:Cefepime; D002439:Cefotaxime