title: Cefdinir: an oral alternative to parenteral cephems.
abstract: Cost savings are possible if oral cephems of equivalent efficacy can be substituted for parenteral cephems. An in vitro study was performed to compare the activity of cefdinir, cefoxitin, cefazolin, ceftriaxone, ceftazidime, and cefepime against 243 clinical isolates of human pathogens. Activities were determined by National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards microbroth dilution methodology using an inoculum of approximately 5 x 10(5) CFU/mL. Cefdinir was the single or equally most potent agent against Streptococcus pyogenes, penicillin-susceptible Streptococcus pneumoniae, methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus, and Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates that produced a variety of beta-lactamase types. Cefdinir was less potent than ceftriaxone, ceftazidime, and cefepime against Haemophilus influenzae, but was 2- to 8-fold more potent than cefoxitin and 8- to 32-fold more potent than cefazolin. Cefdinir was slightly less potent than ceftazidime, against beta-lactamase-positive Moraxella catarrhalis. These data support clinical consideration of cefdinir as an alternative to parenteral cephems in infections where adequate tissue levels can be safely assured.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Creighton University Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68131, USA. achatter@creighton.edu
authors.forename: Archana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chatterjee
authors.forename: Ellen S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Moland
authors.forename: Kenneth S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Thomson
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000077525:Cefdinir; D002511:Cephalosporins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects*; D016905:Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections / Q000382:microbiology; D016908:Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / Q000382:microbiology; D006095:Gram-Positive Cocci / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D002511:Cephalosporins; D000077525:Cefdinir