[In vitro activity of cefatiolene (RP 42,980) against hospital bacteria. Comparison with cefotaxime and lamoxactam. Results of a multicenter study].

This work reports a multicenter study of antibacterial activity of cefatiolene (RP 42 980), a new third generation cephalosporin, in comparison with cefotaxime and lamoxactam. On the basis of MIC, activity of the three products is similar or Gram negative rods, but cefotaxime is a little more active on Enterobacteriaceae. The activity against Staphylococci requires further studies, indeed the determination of IC 50 of some strains showed a better activity of cefatiolene, but this was not observed by determination of MIC. As cefotaxime and contrary to lamoxactam, cefatiolene is active at low concentrations on other Streptococci than Enterococci, but a little on Bacteroides.