Search PubMed⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “Cefaclor”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 559 records · Page 31Linked to original sources

[The influence of medicine to the expression of cell adhesion molecule in experimental otitis media with effusion].

OBJECTIVE: To study the influence of Cefaclor and Prednisonum to the expression of cell adhesion molecule in experimental otitis media with effusion (OME). METHOD: SD rats models of OME were made using formalin killed nontypeable Hemophilus influenzae and the expression of adhesion molecules Mac-1 and L-Selectin was analysed by flow cytometry using white blood cell obtained by cardiac puncture in control, bacterial and medicine groups. The pathology of middle ear mucosa was investigated to understand the relationship between the expression of adhesion molecules and the pathology. RESULT: It was found that the expression of adhesion molecules Mac-1 and L-Selection in bacteria group increased obviously with pathological change of the middle ear mucosa. Cefaclor and Prednisonum could decrease the expression of adhesion molecules and inhibited the leukocyte accumulation in the middle ear cavity though there was no significant differences except for the L-Selectin in the Cefaclor group between the bacteria group and the medicine group. CONCLUSION: Dead bacteria in the middle ear may act as an antigen to induce the inflammatory response and effusion of the middle ear. The expression of adhesion molecules Mac-1 and L-Selectin is highly related to the inflammatory response. Cefaclor and Prednisonum may improve otitis media with effusion, which may related to the decreasing expression of Mac-1 and L-Selectin.

Animals↗

Clinical pharmacokinetics of five oral cephalosporins in calves.

The minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of cephalexin, cephradine, cefaclor, cefatrizine and cefadroxil for Salmonella species, Escherichia coli and Pasteurella multocida isolated previously from young calves were determined. The MIC90 values for cephalexin, cephradine and cefadroxil ranged between 3.12 micrograms ml-1 and 12.5 micrograms ml-1, whereas those of cefatrizine and cefaclor were 3.12 micrograms ml-1 and 0.78 microgram ml-1, respectively. Each drug was administered intravenously and orally to groups of pre-ruminating calves and orally to early ruminating calves. Although the pharmacokinetic characteristics of the drugs after intravenous injection were similar to other beta-lactam antibiotics, significant differences between the cephalosporins examined were found in respect of certain kinetic parameters. The drugs showed rapid absorption into the systemic circulation after oral administration to pre-ruminating calves but the elimination half-life values (t1/2 beta) varied between three hours (cefaclor and cefadroxil) and nine hours (cefatrizine). The bioavailability of the drugs was about 35 per cent of the administered dose. Co-administration of probenecid with each antibiotic caused a twofold or greater increase in peak serum drug concentrations (Cmax) but the effect on t1/2 beta was variable. Cephalexin, cephradine and cefaclor given to the ruminating calves resulted in very low serum or plasma concentrations and their use should be restricted to younger calves. Cefadroxil was found to give the highest serum concentrations in this age group but had significantly lower bioavailability when compared with the unweaned calves. Provisional oral dosage regimens were computed for each cephalosporin on the basis of the MIC data and the kinetic parameters derived from intravenous and oral drug administration.

Absorption↗

[Comparison of four recently introduced cephalosporins with respect to probability of resistance in multiresistant strains of Escherichia coli, Proteus mirabilis and Klebsiella spec. (author's transl)].

Strains with the same number of resistances were arranged in so-called resistance classes. Nine classes of resistance (0 to greater to or equal to 8) were formed by means of ten standard chemotherapeutics; the four new cephalosporins were excluded. For every resistance class frequency of cephalosporinresistance was described as coefficient ranging from 0 to 1 (Fig. 1). In Cephalothin the coefficients were markedly rising only in 6 (7)-fold resistant strains of the species examined. Similar but somewhat reduced rising of coefficients was also observed in Cefaclor and Cefamandole. In Cefaclor this is particularly evident for E. coli, whereas in Cefamandole, it concerns Klebsiella spec. In the other species rising of coefficients of Cefaclor and Cefamandole are less marked. The probability of restance in multiresistant strains are therefore distinguished more clearly from that of Cephalothin. Cefuroxime and Cefoxitin take a special position because the probability of resistance does not rise in multiresistant strains. The coefficients of Cefoxitin do not show any recognizable dependance on multiresistance. For clinical purpose the following conclusions can be derived: Because of their effectiveness in multiresistant strains Cefoxitin and Cefuroxime are suitable for empiric use in intensive care units where many multiresistant Klebsiella-strains are to be expected. Cefamandole on the other hand is characterized by a rising probability of resistance in multiresistant strains. Therefore it should only be given after antibiotic testing. Cefaclor, a new oral cephalosporin, will be introduced specially for outpatients where multiresistant strains are rarely found.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗

Pharmacodynamic activity of five oral cephalosporins against Haemophilus influenzae.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: To determine the time above minimum inhibitory concentration (T > MIC) and serum bactericidal activity of five oral cephalosporins against two strains of Haemophilus influenzae. DESIGN: Randomized, crossover study. SETTING: University-associated research center. SUBJECTS: Ten healthy volunteers. INTERVENTIONS: Each subject received a single dose of cefpodoxime 200 mg, cefuroxime 500 mg, cefaclor 500 mg, cefprozil 500 mg, or loracarbef 400 mg each week for 5 weeks. Blood for serum levels was obtained at time zero and 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, and 12 hours after each dose. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Cefpodoxime produced serum concentrations above the MIC for more than 90% of the time for both beta-lactamase-negative and -positive strains of H. influenzae. Moreover, it had serum bactericidal activity for 12 hours against both isolates. Cefuroxime was the second most active cephalosporin, with serum concentrations above the MIC of both isolates for 60% of the time. Cefuroxime provided serum bactericidal activity for 12 hours against the beta-lactamase-negative strain and 6 hours against the beta-lactamase-positive strain of H. influenzae. Even though the T > MIC was less than 50% of the study period for the other cephalosporins, all but cefaclor provided serum bactericidal activity for 12 hours against the beta-lactamase-negative isolate. Cefaclor provided measurable serum bactericidal activity for only 3 hours. The duration of serum bactericidal activity of cefprozil, loracarbef, and cefaclor against the beta-lactamase-positive isolate was 4, 2, and 0 hours, respectively. CONCLUSION: Cefpodoxime was the most active cephalosporin studied based on T > MIC and serum bactericidal activity against isolates of H. influenzae.

Adult↗

Cefixime in the treatment of patients with lower respiratory tract infections: results of US clinical trials.

Community-acquired acute lower respiratory tract infections are a common cause of illness, accounting for millions of physician visits and prescriptions each year. Cefixime is an extended-spectrum oral cephalosporin with activity against Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, and Moraxella catarrhalis, the most commonly isolated bacterial pathogens. This review presents the results of eight US studies comparing the efficacy and safety of cefixime with those of amoxicillin, amoxicillin/clavulanate, cefaclor, cephalexin, and cefuroxime axetil in the treatment of patients with acute lower respiratory tract infections. Data for 211 cefixime-treated patients and a range of 19 to 49 patients in the comparator treatment groups were included in the efficacy analysis. Clinical success (cure or improvement) was observed in 94% of cefixime-treated patients; clinical success rates in the comparator treatment groups ranged from 97% for cefuroxime axetil and cefaclor to 79% for amoxicillin/clavulanate. At the end of treatment, the overall eradication rate in the cefixime treatment group was 92% and ranged from 76% (cefaclor) to 98% (cefuroxime axetil) in the comparator treatment groups. The percentage of persistent organisms was highest in the cefaclor (24%) and cephalexin (21%) treatment groups. With the exception of the cephalexin group (4%), the incidence of patients who reported adverse experiences was similar across treatment groups (34% to 50%). Those involving the gastrointestinal tract were by far the most common, and most adverse experiences were rated as mild or moderate in severity.

Adult↗

Characterization of the oral absorption of beta-lactam antibiotics. I. Cephalosporins: determination of intrinsic membrane absorption parameters in the rat intestine in situ.

The oral absorption of five cephalosporin antibiotics, cefaclor, cefadroxil, cefatrizine, cephalexin, and cephradine, has been studied using a single-pass intestinal perfusion technique in rats. Intrinsic membrane absorption parameters, "unbiased" by the presence of an aqueous permeability (diffusion or stagnant layer), have been calculated utilizing a boundary layer mathematical model. The resultant intrinsic membrane absorption parameters are consistent with a significant carrier-mediated, Michaelis-Menten-type kinetic mechanism and a small passive component in the jejunum. Cefaclor colon permeability is low and does not exhibit concentration dependent behavior. The measured carrier parameters (+/- SD) for the jejunal perfusions are as follows: cefaclor, J*max = 21.3 (+/- 4.0), Km = 16.1 (+/- 3.6), P*m = 0, and P*c = 1.32 (+/- 0.07); cefadroxil, J*max = 8.4 (+/- 0.8), Km = 5.9 (+/- 0.8), P*m = 0, and P*c = 1.43 (+/- 0.10); cephalexin, J*max = 9.1 (+/- 1.2), Km = 7.2 (+/- 1.2), P*m = 0, and P*c = 1.30 (+/- 0.10); cefatrizine, J*max = 0.73 (+/- 0.19), Km = 0.58 (+/- 0.17), P*m = 0.17 (+/- 0.03), and P*c = 1.25 (+/- 0.10); and cephradine, J*max = 1.57 (+/- 0.84), Km = 1.48 (+/- 0.75), P*m = 0.25 (+/- 0.07), and P*c = 1.06 (+/- 0.08). The colon absorption parameter for cefaclor is P*m = 0.36 (+/- 0.06, where J*max (mM) is the maximal flux, Km (mM) is the Michaelis constant, P*m is the passive membrane permeability, and P*c is the carrier permeability.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Absorption↗

Oral cephalosporins.

The arrival of new cephalosporins faces the clinician with an evergrowing confusion as to the drug of choice. The older agents (cephalexin, cephradine, cefadroxil and cefaclor) and the newer formulations cefatrizine and cefuroxime axetil are intensively used for treatment of mild and moderate infections. The oldest agents have a better pharmacokinetic profile but are less active against Gram-positives and Gram-negatives. Cefaclor, cefatrizine and cefuroxime axetil have improved in vitro activity against H. influenzae and/or against S. aureus and M. catarrhalis. However the mean free serum concentrations after proposed standard daily doses of cefaclor (3 x 250 mg/d), cefatrizine (2 x 500 mg/d) and cefuroxime-axetil (2 x 250 mg/d) are lower than those of the older cephalosporins. In comparison amoxicillin-clavulanate is equally efficacious, has a more reliable pharmacokinetic profile and is less expensive than cefaclor and cefuroxime axetil in a comparable dose (e.g. 3 x 500 mg/d).

Administration, Oral↗

Comparative in-vitro activity of a new oral carbacephem, LY163892.

The in-vitro activity of a new oral carbacephem, LY163892, was compared with cefaclor, cephalexin, cephradine, cefadroxil and selected penicillins against 529 bacterial isolates. LY163892 exhibited greater activity in vitro than all four cephalosporins against Haemophilus influenzae, beta-lactamase producing Branhamella catarrhalis, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella spp. and Proteus mirabilis. LY163892 had equivalent potency to cefaclor against non-beta-lactamase producing B. catarrhalis, streptococci and Staphylococcus aureus. Group D beta-haemolytic streptococci, Proteus vulgaris, and methicillin-resistant staphylococci were universally resistant to LY163892 and the four cephalosporins. Broth dilution experiments indicated that LY163892 was bactericidal against a range of Gram-positive and Gram-negative organisms and suggested that the antibiotic had a similar degree of stability to the beta-lactamases of H. influenzae, B. catarrhalis and Staph. aureus as did cefaclor. The susceptibility of 16 strains of H. influenzae to LY163892 and cefaclor were equivalent when estimated using three different commercially available agar media. Addition of carbon dioxide to the incubation atmosphere significantly reduced the potency of both drugs.

Bacteria↗

The in-vitro susceptibilities of vaginal lactobacilli to four broad-spectrum antibiotics, as determined by the agar dilution and E test methods.

The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of cefaclor, co-amoxiclav, clarithromycin and ciprofloxacin for 59 strains of vaginal lactobacilli were determined by both the reference agar dilution and E test methods. With the exception of clarithromycin, there was poor correlation between the results obtained by the two techniques. This was most apparent for the beta-lactams studied, the MICs of cefaclor as determined by the E test being particularly difficult to define. The stability of antimicrobial gradients in the E test may cause problems when testing slow-growing bacteria and/or organisms which grow only under anaerobic conditions. Accordingly, only those MICs determined by the agar dilution method are reported. The percentages of susceptible isolates were as follows: clarithromycin, 100; co-amoxiclav, 100; cefaclor, 20; and ciprofloxacin, 4. The administration of antimicrobials, such as ciprofloxacin and cefaclor, which have poor activities in vitro against lactobacilli, may therefore be advantageous to the host because it allows the protective effects of the normal vaginal flora to be preserved.

Agar↗

Incidence of antibiotic-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae and beta-lactamase-positive Haemophilus influenzae in clinical isolates from patients with otitis media.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of penicillin-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae and beta-lactamase-producing Haemophilus influenzae in otitis media infections is increasing; emergence of these pathogens has complicated treatment. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the incidence of penicillin resistance and the in vitro activity of amoxicillin/clavulanate, cefaclor, loracarbef, cefixime, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, azithromycin and clarithromycin in S. pneumoniae isolates. The in vitro activity of azithromycin, clarithromycin and cefaclor was also evaluated in beta-lactamase-positive and -negative isolates of H. influenzae. METHODS: Bacterial isolates of S. pneumoniae and H. influenzae were obtained by tympanocentesis and subsequent culture of middle ear effusion from children with acute otitis media enrolled in a multicenter trial. Susceptibility to test agents was assessed by disk diffusion and broth dilution techniques with criteria established by the National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards. RESULTS: Nineteen (31%) of the 61 S. pneumoniae isolates were resistant to penicillin. A significantly lower percentage of the S. pneumoniae isolates were resistant to azithromycin (16%) and clarithromycin (11%) than to penicillin, amoxicillin/ clavulanate, cefaclor, loracarbef or cefixime (31% in all cases). Azithromycin was also more active than cefaclor and significantly more active than clarithromycin against the 55 H. influenzae isolates. CONCLUSIONS: The susceptibility of resistant and nonresistant strains of S. pneumoniae to azithromycin and clarithromycin and of isolates of H. influenzae to azithromycin, coupled with penetration of azithromycin into the middle ear, may provide a significant advantage in the treatment of otitis media.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗

In vitro activities of five oral cephalosporins against aerobic pathogenic bacteria.

Cefaclor (Lilly 99638) and cefatrizine (BL-S640, SK&F 70771) are orally absorbed, broad-spectrum semisynthetic cephalosporins. They were compared in vitro with cephalexin, cephaloglycin, and cepharadine against a variety of aerobic pathogenic bacteria by an agar dilution procedure. Cefaclor and cefatrizine were found to be similar or superior to cephalexin, cephaloglycin, and cephradine in terms of activity against gram-positive cocci other than enterococci. Only cefatrizine demonstrated any potentially useful activity against some susceptible isolates of enterococci. Cefaclor and cefatrizine also were highly active, equally or more so than the other oral cephalosporins, against several gram-negative species including Escherichia coli, Enterobacter aerogenes, and Klebsiella pneumoniae. None of the cephalosporins were particularly active against Enterobacter cloacae. Both cefaclor and cefatrizine were active against Proteus mirabilis; cefatrizine was uniquely active against indolepositive Proteus species.

Aerobiosis↗

Amoxicillin combined with clavulanic acid for the treatment of soft tissue infections in children.

We compared responses to amoxicillin combined with clavulanic acid (ACA) with a cefaclor regimen in children with skin and soft tissue infections (impetigo and cellulitis) due to Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes, and Haemophilus species. All isolates from the 41 patients we were able to evaluate were susceptible to ACA by disk susceptibility testing at the onset of treatment. The 21 children receiving ACA and 18 (90%) of 20 taking cefaclor responded to therapy. Clinical cure was achieved in 18 (86%) of 21 and 18 (90%) of 20 in the two groups, respectively. Bacteriological failure occurred in 2 (10%) patients in the cefaclor group and none in the group receiving ACA; however, there were 2 (9%) relapses and 1 (5%) reinfection among the 21 children taking ACA. Adverse effects, although mild, occurred more commonly (9 of 21 versus 1 of 20; P = 0.005) with ACA than with cefaclor.

Amoxicillin↗

Pharmacokinetic and in vivo studies with azithromycin (CP-62,993), a new macrolide with an extended half-life and excellent tissue distribution.

Azithromycin (CP-62,993), a new acid-stable 15-membered-ring macrolide, was well absorbed following oral administration in mice, rats, dogs, and cynomolgus monkeys. This compound exhibited a uniformly long elimination half-life and was distributed exceptionally well into all tissues. This extravascular penetration of azithromycin was demonstrated by tissue/plasma area-under-the-curve ratios ranging from 13.6 to 137 compared with ratios for erythromycin of 3.1 to 11.6. The significance of these pharmacokinetic advantages of azithromycin over erythromycin was shown through efficacy in a series of animal infection models. Azithromycin was orally effective in treating middle ear infections induced in gerbils by transbulla challenges with amoxicillin-resistant Haemophilus influenzae or susceptible Streptococcus pneumoniae; erythromycin failed and cefaclor was only marginally active against the H. influenzae challenge. Azithromycin was equivalent to cefaclor and erythromycin against Streptococcus pneumoniae. In mouse models, the new macrolide was 10-fold more potent than erythromycin and four other antibiotics against an anaerobic infection produced by Fusobacterium necrophorum. Similarly, azithromycin was effective against established tissue infections induced by Salmonella enteritidis (liver and spleen) and Staphylococcus aureus (thigh muscle); erythromycin failed against both infections. The oral and subcutaneous activities of azithromycin, erythromycin, and cefaclor were similar against acute systemic infections produced by Streptococcus pneumoniae, Streptococcus pyogenes, Streptococcus viridans, or S. aureus, whereas azithromycin was more potent than erythromycin and cefaclor against the intracellular pathogen Listeria monocytogenes. The pharmacokinetic advantage of azithromycin over erythromycin in half-life was clearly demonstrated in prophylactic treatment of an acute mouse model of S. aureus infection. These properties of azithromycin strongly support the further evaluation of this new macrolide for use in community-acquired infections of skin or soft tissue and respiratory diseases.

Animals↗

In vitro activity of loracarbef (LY163892), a new oral carbacephem antimicrobial agent, against respiratory isolates of Haemophilus influenzae and Moraxella catarrhalis.

The in vitro activity of a new orally administered carbacephem analog of cefaclor, loracarbef (LY163892), was compared with those of cefaclor and several other oral antimicrobial agents against recent clinical isolates of Haemophilus influenzae and Moraxella catarrhalis. Loracarbef was found to be slightly more active than cefaclor against H. influenzae and had activity essentially equivalent to that of cefaclor for M. catarrhalis. Resistance to loracarbef was uncommon and was noted only with rare beta-lactamase-producing strains of H. influenzae. On the basis of these observations, loracarbef may be of utility in the management of localized, non-life-threatening infections caused by H. influenzae and M. catarrhalis.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗

Performance of Haemophilus Test Media prepared with 12 different lots of Mueller-Hinton agar from four manufacturers.

Haemophilus Test Media (HTM) were prepared from 12 different lots of Mueller-Hinton agar. When tested with Haemophilus influenzae ATCC 49247, most lots were initially rejected because of small zones of inhibition for cefaclor, cefuroxime, and cefamandole disks, whereas five other drugs performed satisfactorily on the 11 lots that supported growth of the control strain. At the same time, tests of Escherichia coli ATCC 25922 and Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923 documented the acceptability of these agar media, with or without HTM supplements. The current control limits for cefaclor, cefuroxime, and cefamandole appear to be unrealistic. Because the beta-lactamase-negative, ampicillin-resistant control strain of H. influenzae (ATCC 49247) has altered penicillin-binding proteins, it is resistant to ampicillin and is probably also resistant to cefaclor, cefuroxime, and cefamandole. Consequently, media that produce no or very small zones of inhibition with those three drugs might be clinically correct and should not be rejected. One manufacturer provided three lots of Mueller-Hinton agar that gave unusually large zones of inhibition with all beta-lactams. The three other manufacturers provided eight Mueller-Hinton agars that were satisfactory for the preparation of HTM agar, provided that small zones of inhibition with cefaclor, cefuroxime, and cefamandole disks are accepted as the preferred result.

Agar↗

Ceftibuten. A review of its antibacterial activity, pharmacokinetic properties and clinical efficacy.

Ceftibuten is an orally active third generation cephalosporin which has a broad spectrum of in vitro antibacterial activity, encompassing the majority of Gram-negative pathogens and streptococci, and which shows greater stability than several other cephalosporins against bacteria producing extended-spectrum beta-lactamases. In clinical studies, ceftibuten (generally 400 mg/day in adults or 9 mg/kg/day in children, administered once daily) was effective in the treatment of acute uncomplicated or complicated urinary tract infections, demonstrating an efficacy similar to that of cefaclor (1500 mg/day), and similar or superior to that of cotrimoxazole (trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole; 8/40 mg/kg/day) in children. The majority of patients with acute or chronic lower respiratory tract infections responded to treatment with ceftibuten, and response rates were similar to those achieved with cefaclor (750 or 1500 mg/day). Ceftibuten 9 mg/kg/day was at least as effective as cefaclor and as effective as amoxicillin/clavulanic acid (both 40 mg/kg/day) in children with acute otitis media, and was superior to phenoxymethylpenicillin (penicillin V; 25 mg/kg/day) in children and adolescents with streptococcal pharyngitis or scarlet fever caused by Group A beta-haemolytic streptococci. Ceftibuten was well tolerated in most patients, with adverse events (mostly mild to moderate gastrointestinal disturbances) generally occurring in 5 to 10% of patients. Thus, ceftibuten, with a once- or twice-daily oral dosage regimen, good tolerability profile and activity against a wide range of bacterial organisms, offers a promising alternative to other agents (including cefaclor, cotrimoxazole, amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, bacampicillin and phenoxymethylpenicillin) for the treatment of patients with urogenital and respiratory tract infections. Its place in therapy will be more clearly defined following further large comparative trials, in which it is likely to prove most useful in patients with infections caused by beta-lactamase-producing pathogens.

Adult↗

Oral antimicrobial susceptibilities of Streptococcus pyogenes recently isolated in five countries.

Between July 1998 and July 1999 1050 clinical isolates of Streptococcus pyogenes were collected from 11 study centres in five countries. Isolates were shipped to a co-ordinating laboratory for NCCLS specified broth microdilution susceptibility testing for penicillin, cefaclor, azithromycin, clarithromycin, erythromycin and roxithromycin. All 1050 isolates of S. pyogenes tested were susceptible to penicillin (MIC < or = 0.12 microgram/ml) and cefaclor (MIC < or = 0.25 microgram/ml). Azithromycin, clarithromycin and erythromycin resistance rates were 15.9%, 15.4% and 15.8%, respectively. MIC90S for penicillin, cefaclor, azithromycin, clarithromycin, erythromycin, and roxithromycin were 0.015, 0.12, > 4, 8, > 1 and 16 micrograms/ml, respectively. Macrolide (erythromycin) resistance rates were highest in study centres in Italy (31.0%) and Spain (26.6%). Lower macrolide resistance rates were identified in study centres in Turkey (4.8%), France (3.8%), and Sweden (3.7%). In conclusion, the isolates of S. pyogenes tested were universally susceptible to beta-lactam antibiotics such as penicillin and cefaclor, while resistance to macrolides was significant and ranged from 3.2% to 31%.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗

Multicenter surveillance of antimicrobial resistance of Streptococcus pyogenes, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, and Moraxella catarrhalis to 14 oral antibiotics.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Data on the in vitro activities of orally administered cephalosporins, particularly third-generation cephalosporins, against recent pathogens responsible for community-respiratory tract infection are lacking. METHODS: A susceptibility surveillance of 267 isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae, 205 of Streptococcus pyogenes, 204 of Haemophilus influenzae, and 147 of Moraxella catarrhalis to 14 oral antimicrobial agents using the agar dilution method was carried out from March 2002 to October 2002 in Taiwan. RESULTS: High rates of non-susceptibility to penicillin (60%), cefaclor (67%), cefuroxime (62%), cefpodoxime (64%), clarithromycin (91%), and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (98%) for S. pneumoniae isolates and high rates of non-susceptibility to ampicillin (70%), clarithromycin (34%), and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (63%) for H. influenzae isolates were found. The rank order of oral cephalosporin activity based on the minimum concentrations at which 90% of the isolates were inhibited (MIC90s) for S. pneumoniae was cefpodoxime > cefuroxime > cefixime > cefaclor, cephradine > cephalexin and for H. influenzae and M. catarrhalis was cefixime > cefpodoxime > cefuroxime > cefaclor > cephalexin, cephradine. Among the 75 S. pneumoniae isolates resistant to penicillin (MICs ranged 2 to 4 mg/L), 4% were intermediate to amoxicillin and > 90% were resistant to cefaclor, cefuroxime, and cefpodoxime. For S. pyogenes isolates, all were susceptible to penicillin, 21% were not susceptible to clarithromycin and 4% were not susceptible to clindamycin. Thirty four percent of H. influenzae isolates were not susceptible to clarithromycin. The MIC90 of clarithromycin against M. catarrhalis isolates was 0.5 mg/L. CONCLUSIONS: Cefpodoxime, cefixime, and cefuroxime are promising agents against these bacterial pathogens, except for penicillin-non-susceptible S. pneumoniae isolates.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗