Comparison of moxalactam (LY127935) and cefotaxime against anaerobic bacteria.

The in vitro activities of moxalactam (LY127935 [6059S]) and cefotaxime were compared with those of cefoxitin, cefamandole, cefuroxime, carbenicillin, and penicillin by agar dilution susceptibility testing of a variety of anaerobic bacteria. Moxalactam proved to be the most active agent tested against Bacteroides fragilis and other species of the B. fragilis group. Moxalactam and cefotaxime showed activity similar to the other drugs against the remaining species of Bacteroides, Fusobacterium, Actinomyces, Propionibacterium, and Veillonella. Penicillin was the most effective drug tested against most species of Clostridium, the anaerobic gram-positive cocci, and Eubacterium lentum.