COMPARATIVE IN-VITRO ACTIVITY OF FK-037, A NEW CEPHALOSPORIN ANTIBIOTIC

The in vitro activity of FK-037, a novel parenteral oxime-type cephalosporin, was compared with that of cefepime, cefpirome, ceftazidime, imipenem, and gentamicin against a total of 668 recent clinical isolates. Minimum inhibitory concentrations were determined by a standard agar dilution procedure, and all isolates were tested at two inocula (10(4) and 10(6) colony forming units). FK-037 inhibited 90% of isolates of Escherichia coli, Klebsiella species, Proteus mirabilis, P. vulgaris, Morganella morganii, Serratia marcescens, Providencia stuartii, Citrobacter freundii, Salmonella typhi, Shigella sonnei, Yersinia enterocolitica, Aeromonas species, and Haemophilus influenzae at less than or equal to 1 mu g/ml. FK-037 was less active against Enterobacter species, Acinetobacter species, and Pseudomonas species, requiring 16 mu g/ml to inhibit 90% of isolates, and was inactive against Xanthomonas maltophilia. FK-037 inhibited 90% of methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus at less than or equal to 1 mu g/ml and 90% of methicillin-resistant S. aureus at less than or equal to 8 mu g/ml.