ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY OF CEFPODOXIME IN-VITRO

Cefpodoxime proxetil is a new orally administered prodrug which is abs orbed and de-esterified by the intestinal mucosa to release the third- generation cephalosporin, cefpodoxime, and which is undergoing in vitr o and in vivo evaluations. Using the standard agar dilution method, we compared the in vitro activity of this drug with other oral cephalosp orins and quinolones against 637 recent clinical isolates from Kaohsiu ng Veterans General Hospital in Taiwan. Against Escherichia coli and K lebsiella pneumoniae, cefpodoxime showed excellent activity, inhibitin g over 90% of these isolates at 1 mg/l. Like other oral drugs of its c lass, it had little activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinet obacter spp. Against Haemophilus influenzae, irrespective of beta-lact amase production, its activity was similar to comparative drugs. Again st methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus, cefpodoxime showed m oderate activity, inhibiting 90% of these isolates at 4 mg/l, whereas it was inactive against methicillin-resistant S. aureus. However, all cephalosporins have shown little in vivo activity against methicillin- resistant S. aureus regardless of in vitro results. Cefpodoxime was in active against Enterococcus spp. Against other streptococci, its activ ity was similar to other oral cephalosporins and quinolones tested. Th e results of this in vitro study indicated that oral administration of cefpodoxime should be an ideal agent in the empirical outpatient trea tment for community-acquired cutaneous, respiratory and urinary tract infections.