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Table 12-6

Review of Selected Cephalosporin Antibiotics

GenAgentGram PosGram NegAnaerobesPsA aMRSACNSCovered Organisms
1Cefazolin+±----MSSA, streptococci
2Cefuroxime++----MSSA, streptococci, Haemophilus influenzae
Cefoxitin, Cefotetan±++---Some Enterobacterales and Bacteroides fragilis
3Ceftriaxone, Cefotaxime++---+± MSSA, streptococci, Enterobacterales
Ceftazidime±+-+-+Enterobacterales, Pseudomonas
4 bCefepime++-+-+MSSA, Streptococci, Enterobacterales Pseudomonas
5Ceftaroline+++-+?MRSA, Streptococci, Enterobacterales

+, active; ±, limited activity; -, not active; ?, unknown; MRSA, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus; MSSA, methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus; Neg, negative; Pos, positive.

aPseudomonas aeruginosa.

bFirst- through fourth-generation cephalosporins demonstrate no activity against methicillin-resistant staphylococci or enterococci.