The bactericidal activity of ceforanide was compared, in an
in vitro kinetic model, with that
of five other cephalosporins: cephalothin, cefazolin, cefamandole, cefuroxime, and cefoxitin.
Cultures of various pathogens in 95% human serum were incubated for 12 hours in the presence
of the cephalosporins whose concentrations were modified periodically-by addition of a
concentrated solution of drug or dilution with unmedicated serum-in order to simulate the
variation of antibiotic concentration in human blood after a one-gram intramuscular dose.
One Gram-positive strain and six Gram-negative strains were used. Bactericidal activity
was assessed by monitoring changes in the number of colony-forming units.
Tests showed that against
Klebsiella pneumoniae, ceforanide was the most active of the
six cephalosporins.
Proteus mirabilis was more susceptible to ceforanide and cefuroxime
than to the other compounds;
Enterobacter cloacae to ceforanide, cefuroxime, and cefamandole;
Escherichia coli to ceforanide, cefuroxime, cefamandole, and cefazolin. The number of
viable cells of
Staphylococcus aureus was reduced below detectable levels by all cephalosporins
except cefoxitin. On the other hand,
Providencia stuartii was virtually unaffected by all of
the cephalosporins except cefoxitin.
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