The activity of cefotaxime and desacetylcefotaxime against Bacteroides species compared to 7-methoxy cephems and other anti-anaerobe drugs.

The combination of cefotaxime and desacetylcefotaxime was tested against 83 Bacteroides strains (seven species) isolated from several hospitals. The combination greatly enhanced the anti-anaerobic spectrum of cefotaxime: 79.7% of tested strains were synergistically killed by the combination. Although the combination appears clinically efficacious, it is only comparable to cefoxitin and still less active than clindamycin, chloramphenicol and metronidazole.