Comparative in vitro activity of cefpirome and cefepime, two new cephalosporins

Abstract

In in vitro tests the broad-spectrum cephalosporins cefpirome and cefepime were highly active againstEnterobacteriaceae, although often less so against strains resistant to amoxicillin-clavulanate and ticarcillin-clavulanate, and against most strains ofAcinetobacter spp. andAeromonas hydrophila. They were also active againstPseudomonas aeruginosa, although strains with non-plasmid mediated beta-lactam resistance were sometimes less sensitive. OtherPseudomonas spp. varied in their sensitivity. Both agents were highly active againstHaemophilus influenzae, but beta-lactamase-producingBranhamella catarrhalis were somewhat less sensitive.Neisseria gonorrhoeae were susceptible, although non-beta-lactamase producing penicillin-resistant strains had higher MICs.Gardnerella vaginalis was also susceptible andCampylobacter coli/jejuni usually susceptible. Both antibiotics had good activity againstStaphylococcus aureus and coagulase-negative staphylococci except for methicillin-resistant strains andStaphylococcus haemolyticus which were of borderline sensitivity. All streptococci were sensitive, with the exception of highly penicillin-resistant pneumococci and enterococci against which cefpirome had greater activity than cefepime. Both antibiotics had little useful activity against theBacteroides fragilis group orBacteroides oralis group but were active against most other anaerobes.Clostridium difficile and some otherClostridium species were resistant.