Comparative in vitro activity of the two new oral cephalosporin metabolites RO 19-5247 and RO 15-8074.

A total of 629 clinical strains of gram positive and gram negative bacteria were tested for their susceptibility to RO 19-5247, RO 15-8074, and other antimicrobial agents. Both RO 19-5247 and RO 15-8074 had good activity against strains of Enterobacteriaceae; however, resistance was found among some strains of Enterobacter, Citrobacter, Klebsiella and Morganella spp. Both compounds showed moderate to poor active against Acinetobacter spp., Pseudomonas aeruginosa, staphylococci and Streptococcus faecalis. Against strains of Haemophilus influenzae, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Gardnerella vaginalis, Streptococcus pneumoniae and streptococci (not enterococci), each compound was highly active in vitro. RO 19-5247 and RO 15-8074 had comparable activity to cotrimoxazole, ceftazidime and ceftizoxime. Each new compound had considerably better activity then did cefaclor and amoxicillin/potassium clavulanate.