Activity of Cefamandole and Other Cephalosporins Against Aerobic and Anaerobic Bacteria

Abstract

The activity of cefamandole was comparable to that of cephalothin, cefazolin, and cephaloridine against Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes , and Diplococcus pneumoniae . In contrast, cefamandole was considerably more active than cephalothin, cefazolin, or cephaloridine against gram-negative facultative bacilli, including Haemophilus influenzae , the most striking disparities being noted with indole-positive Proteus and Enterobacter. Bacteroides fragilis was more susceptible to cefoxitin than to cefamandole or cefazolin (median minimal inhibitory concentration, approximately 8, 32, and 32 μg/ml, respectively); cephalothin exhibited still less activity against this species. The majority of other anaerobes were inhibited by relatively low concentrations of all four cephalosporins. The results indicate a potentially valuable role for cefamandole against facultative gram-negative bacilli, including H. influenzae , but no exceptional activity against anaerobes.