[Activity of cefpodoxime against pathogens causing respiratory, urinary or soft tissue infections].
BACKGROUND
Cefpodoxime is a new antimicrobial in the Chilean market, recommended for treatment of respiratory and urinary tract infections.


OBJECTIVE
To study the susceptibility of common pathogens isolated from Chilean patients to cefpodoxime and other antimicrobials.


METHODS
The in vitro activity of cefpodoxime, expressed as Minimal Inhibitory Concentration, was studied in 331 S pneumoniae, H influenzae, M catarrhalis, E coli, S aureus and S pyogenes strains, isolated between 2000 and 2004 from respiratory, urinary and soft tissue infections, respectively.


RESULTS
Eleven percent of S pneumoniae isolates were resistant to penicillin, 11% were resistant to cefuroxime and 10% to cefpodoxime. All H influenzae isolates were susceptible to cefpodoxime. No H influenzae isolates were resistant to second or third generation cephalosporines. Four percent of H influenzae isolates were resistant to ampicillin by ss-lactamase production. In contrast 81% of M catarrhalis strains were resistant to ampicillin. Six percent of E coli isolates were resistant to cefpodoxime, 9% to cefuroxime, 11% to cefadroxile and 50% to ampicillin or trimethoprim/sulphamethoxazole. Cefpodoxime was the most active antimicrobial against S pyogenes.


CONCLUSIONS
Cefpodoxime, recently introduced in Chile, is a good alternative for the treatment of common respiratory and urinary tract infections.
Silva
Francisco
F
Programa de Microbiología y Micología, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
Durán
Claudia
C
Ulloa
María Teresa
MT
Prado
Valeria
V
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015296:Ceftizoxime / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006094:Gram-Positive Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D000097623:Cefpodoxime
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D015296:Ceftizoxime; D000097623:Cefpodoxime