In-vitro activity of cefotetan, other beta-lactams and netilmicin.

In-vitro activity of cefotetan was compared to that of other cephalosporins netilmicin. Cefotetan at very low concentrations inhibited Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Proteus mirabilis and Serratia marcescens. Poor activity was seen for all beta-lactams against Enterobacter and Citrobacter spp. Activity of cefotetan against Staphylococcus aureus was comparable to that of ceftazidime and moxalactam. Netilmicin was the only agent equally active against all Gram-negative bacilli and Staph. aureus tested. Under conditions simulating serum levels cefotetan demonstrated rapid and long-acting bactericidal activity and bacteria exposed to these concentrations required up to 10.2 h to recover from the effect of the antibiotic. Six out of 15 strains did not recover fully.