[Cooperative study of bacterial incidence and susceptibility to cefamandole and other antibiotics (author's transl)].

A total of 44 medical centers participated in a cooperative study on nosocomial infections. Percentages of Gram-negative, Gram-positive and anaerobic germs isolated during 30 alternate-days for 3 months were 80.35 percent, 17.25 percent and 0.52 percent, respectively. Activity of cefamandole and cefalotin against Gram-positive bacteria was very similar, and both antibiotics showed a low number of resistances. On the contrary, against Gram-negative strains the activity of cefamandole was definitely superior to that of cefalothin, but it was similar when compared to that of gentamicin. In many instances, cefamandole may be a valid alternative in treating hospital-acquired infections (except for Pseudomonas).