In vitro activity of cefpodoxime and ten other cephalosporins against gram-positive cocci, Enterobacteriaceae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, including beta-lactamase producers.

Cefpodoxime, the deesterified part of the orally available cefpodoxime proxetil, is active against most Enterobacteriaceae with MIC50 of 0.06 to 2 mg/l. Only Enterobacter cloacae and Citrobacter freundii strains show MIC50 of 4 mg/l. Coagulase negative staphylococci have a MIC50 of 2, while Staphylococcus aureus strains have a MIC of 4 mg/l. In comparison to other orally available cephalosporins cefpodoxime is slightly less active than cefixime and cefotiam against gram-negative bacteria but more active than cefuroxime, cefaclor, and cephalexin. Against staphylococci the activity of cefpodoxime is comparable to that of cefotiam and cefuroxime and superior to cefaclor and cephalexin, while cefixime does not have sufficient activity against these species. Like all cephalosporins cefpodoxime has no activity against enterococci.