Cephamycin inactivation due to enzymatic hydrolysis by beta-lactamase from Bacteroides fragilis.

The susceptibility of 53 clinical isolates of Bacteroides fragilis to cephamycins was examined. Judging from the MICs for 50% of the strains tested, moxalactam was the most active, however, judging from the MICs for 90% of the strains tested, cefbuperazone was more effective than moxalactam. A correlation was observed between in vitro activity of benzylpenicillin and cephaloridine and beta-lactamase production. Inactivation due to enzymatic hydrolysis of cephamycins over a short time was not observed; however, inactivation was detected by a double disk diffusion test, and moxalactam was most easily inactivated. We conclude that inactivation due to enzymatic hydrolysis of cephamycins over a long time may play an important role in resistance to some cephamycins in strains of B. fragilis.