Activity of FCE 22891 compared with cefuroxime axetil and cefixime in pulmonary and subcutaneous infections in mice.

The therapeutic activity of FCE 22891 was compared with that of two new oral cephalosporins, cefuroxime axetil and cefixime against Streptococcus pneumoniae respiratory infection and subcutaneous abscesses induced by mixed aerobes and anaerobes in mice. In experimental pneumonia FCE 22891 was the most active antibiotic. In aerobic abscesses FCE 22891 proved the most active agent in infections induced by methicillin susceptible and resistant Staphylococcus aureus while all three compounds were very active, against Str. pyogenes. In abscesses caused by Gram-negative bacteria, FCE 22891 showed good and constant efficacy. Cefixime was the most active drug against the two susceptible strains of Escherichia coli and Enterobacter cloacae and also against resistant Esch. coli but was inactive against a strain of Ent. cloacae that produced cephalosporinase. Cefuroxime axetil was less active than the other two drugs against Gram-negative bacteria with adequate efficacy only against a susceptible strain of Ent. cloacae. FCE 22891 was more effective than cefixime and cefuroxime axetil in preventing and reducing the size of abscesses induced by Bacteroides fragilis 101. We conclude that FCE 22891, despite its short half life of 6 min in mice, exerts comparable and sometimes better activity than the two oral cephalosporins characterized by longer half lives.