Activities of cefoxitin and cefotetan against Mycobacterium fortuitum infections in mice.

Mice inoculated intravenously with Mycobacterium fortuitum 18367 were treated subcutaneously with cefoxitin or cefotetan once daily for 4 weeks, beginning 24 h after challenge. Both drugs suppressed spinning disease, and both reduced the severity of renal lesions and the number of organisms in the kidneys and liver but not in the lungs or spleen. These therapeutic effects were dose-dependent.