[Antibacterial activity and beta-lactamase stability of eleven oral cephalosporins]

Oral cephalosporins (cefixime, cefdinir, cefetamet, ceftibuten, cefpodoxime, loracarbef, cefprozil, cefuroxime, cefaclor, cefadroxil and BAY 3522) were compared by their antibacterial profile including stability against new beta-lactamases. Both activity and antibacterial spectrum of compounds structurally related to third generation parenteral cephalosporins (of the oximino class) were superior to established compounds. Activity against staphylococci was found to be highest for cefdinir, cefprozil and BAY 3522. Cefetamet, ceftibuten and cefixime demonstrate no clinically meaningful antistaphylococcal activity while the other compounds investigated demonstrate intermediate activity. The antibacterial spectrum was broadest for cefdinir and cefpodoxime. New oral cephalosporins are equally inactive as established compounds against Enterobacter spp., Morganella, Listeria, Pseudomonas and Acinetobacter spp., methicillin-resistant staphylococci, Enterococcus spp., penicillin-resistant pneumococci and anaerobes. New extended broad-spectrum betalactamases (TEM-3, TEM-5, TEM-6, TEM-7, SHV-2, SHV-3, SHV-4, SHV-5, CMY-1, CMY-2, and CTX-M) are active against the majority of oral cephalosporins. Ceftibuten, cefetamet, cefixime and cefdinir were stable against some of these enzymes even to a higher extent than parenteral cephalosporins. New oral cephalosporins should improve the therapeutic perspectives of oral cephalosporins due to their higher activity against pathogens marginally susceptible to established compounds (higher multiplicity of maximum plasma concentrations over MICs of the pathogens) and furthermore by including in their spectrum organisms resistant to established absorbable cephalosporins (e.g. Proteus spp., Providencia spp., Citrobacter spp., and Serratia spp.).