title: Fourth-generation cephalosporins: in vitro activity against nosocomial gram-negative bacilli compared with beta-lactam antibiotics and ciprofloxacin.
abstract: The in vitro activity of two new expanded spectrum fourth-generation cephalosporins, cefepime and cefpirome, was compared with that of five antibacterial agents, ceftazidime, cefoperazone, cefotaxime, imipenem, and ciprofloxacin, that are commonly used in the treatment of serious infections caused by aerobic gram-negative bacteria. The agar dilution method described by the US National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards was used to determine the minimum inhibitory concentrations of antibiotics tested. Three hundred and two clinical isolates, representing a cross-section of Klebsiella and Enterobacter species and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were tested. The most potent beta-lactams were imipenem, cefepime, and cefpirome, which demonstrated significant activity against the majority of strains in all three genera of bacteria, as did ciprofloxacin. Ceftazidime was active against P. aeruginosa, but was less potent against Klebsiella and Enterobacter species. Cefoperazone and cefotaxime were less active than ceftazidime against P. aeruginosa. Cefepime had slightly greater activity than cefpirome against the gram-negative bacteria tested. These data indicate that cefepime and cefpirome are highly active against many frequently resistant nosocomial bacterial strains that are traditionally responsible for difficult-to-treat infections.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan. tumah@just.edu.jo
authors.forename: Haitham
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tumah
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002511:Cephalosporins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002939:Ciprofloxacin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000382:microbiology; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D004755:Enterobacteriaceae / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D007709:Klebsiella / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D002511:Cephalosporins; D002939:Ciprofloxacin