Third Generation Cephalosporin
Cephalosporins are antimicrobial drugs that were first discovered in 1945 by Giuseppe Brotzu. Brotzu was a University of Cagliari professor and a Sardinia government official who worked to eradicate malaria. It was found that cultures of fungi called Cephalosporium acremonium, which came from sewage water, could inhibit the growth of other bacteria. Since then, many cephalosporin drugs have been formulated, among them the third generation cephalosporin, which has a broader spectrum of activity.
Part 1: What Is Cephalosporin? How Do They Work?
Cephalosporins consist of a group of semisynthetic antibiotics with a broad-spectrum of activity. They are derived from fungi called Cephalosporium, which are known to inhabit soil and
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influenzae and some enterobacteria like E coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Proteus mirabilis. These bacteria do not produce β-lactamase
Ceftazidime is effective against Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Some of these third-generation cephalosporin drugs have poor activity against gram-positive (G+) bacteria. Ceftibuten and cefixime only have slight activity against S. aureus, so if it is used for infections in the skin and soft-tissues, it should be limited to uncomplicated streptococcal infections.
The following cephalosporins in this class are used for many clinical conditions:
Oral medications
Cefixime