Cefepime microbiology

Microbiology

Cefepime is a bactericidal agent that acts by inhibition of bacterial cell wall synthesis. Cefepime has a broad spectrum of in vitro activity that encompasses a wide range of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Cefepime has a low affinity for chromosomally-encoded beta-lactamases. Cefepime is highly resistant to hydrolysis by most beta-lactamases and exhibits rapid penetration into Gram-negative bacterial cells. Within bacterial cells, the molecular targets of cefepime are the penicillin binding proteins (PBP).

Susceptible organisms

Aerobic Gram-Negative Microorganisms:

• Enterobacter
• Escherichia coli
• Klebsiella pneumoniae
• Proteus mirabilis
• Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Aerobic Gram-Positive Microorganisms:

• Staphylococcus aureus (methicillin-susceptible isolates only)
• Streptococcus pneumoniae
• Streptococcus pyogenes (Lancefield’s Group A streptococci)
• Viridans group streptococci.