In vitro activity of cefditoren against clinical isolates of penicillin-susceptible and penicillin-intermediate strains of Streptococcus pneumoniae isolated in Germany, 1992-1998

This study investigates the susceptibility to cefditoren of penicillin-susc eptible strains of invasive Streptococcus pneumoniae (n = 312) and of penic illin-intermediate strains of S. pneumoniae (n = 30) isolated mainly from p atients with respiratory tract infections. The MIC(90)s of penicillin-susce ptible and -intermediate isolates were as follows: cefditoren, less than or equal to0.06 and 1 mg/L; penicillin G, less than or equal to0.06 and 0.5 m g/L. Cefditoren showed the highest activity against the penicillin-intermed iate strains investigated compared with the other beta -lactam antibiotics and is therefore considered to be a promising agent for the treatment of in fections caused by pneumococci with reduced penicillin susceptibility.