ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY OF FK-037, A NEW BROAD-SPECTRUM CEPHALOSPORIN - INTERNATIONAL IN-VITRO COMPARISON WITH CEFEPIME AND CEFTAZIDIME

The in vitro activity of FK-037, a new parenteral 7-aminothiazolyl-met hoxyimino cephalosporin, was compared with cefepime and ceftazidime ag ainst 6094 aerobic isolates collected in six medical centers worldwide . FK-037 demonstrated potent activity against the Enterobacteriaceae f amily except for some Enterobacter spp., Providencia spp., and Serrati a liquefaciens (MIC(90)s, greater than or equal to 16 mu g/ml). Agains t nonenteric Gram-negative bacilli, all compounds tested showed simila r, but more limited activity. The FK-037 MIC(50)s for Pseudomonas spp. and P. aeruginosa were 2 and 4 mu g/ml, respectively. The least susce ptible organisms were Xanthomonas maltophilia, enterococci, and Bacill us spp. (MIC(50)s, > 16 mu g/ml), followed by Flavobacterium spp., oth er nonenterics, and oxacillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MIC(50) s, 16 mu g/ml). Good FK-037 activity was observed against oxacillin-su sceptible staphylococci as well as against beta-hemolytic and viridans -group streptococci (MIC(90) range, less than or equal to 0.12 to 2 mu g/ml). While FK-037 was slightly more active than cefepime against Cr am-positive organisms, enteric bacilli were most susceptible to cefepi me. Overall, the antibacterial spectrum of both FK-037 and cefepime wa s superior to ceftazidime. -