Multicentre study of the in vitro activity of cefepime, a broad-spectrum cephalosporin, compared to other broad-spectrum agents.

The in vitro activity of cefepime was compared to that of a range of other broad-spectrum agents, using a gradient diffusion MIC method, against 995 recent clinical isolates of Enterobacteriaceae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, other nonfermentative gram-negative bacilli, staphylococci (except oxacillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus), streptococci, enterococci, and aerobic gram-positive bacilli. Cefepime had excellent activity against Enterobacteriaceae, including eight presumptive extended-spectrum beta-lactamase producers and 33 stably derepressed mutants of natural cephalosporinases. Activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa was similar to ceftazidime and superior to cefpirome. Its activity against gram-positive cocci was also good, being more active against staphylococci and only slightly less active against streptococci than ceftriaxone. Cefepime maintained activity against bacteria resistant to aminoglycosides and ciprofloxacin. Enterococci, Bacillus species, Burkholderia cepacia and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia were predicably resistant. Cefepime has a spectrum of activity almost as broad as that of the carbapenems.