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Cefoxitin (Mefoxitin), Cephaloridin, Cephalothin and Cefazolin were tested in vitro against 380 clinical isolates of Staph. aureus and Enterobacteriaceae using the tube dilution procedure. Of the gramnegative microorganisms a selection of 150 strains was examined regarding susceptibility to the antibiotic combinations cefoxitin/gentamicin and cefoxitin/sisomicin in comparison to cephalothin/gentamicin and cephalothin/sisomicin. Cefoxitin has a broad antimicrobial spectrum and a high beta-lactamase-resistance. Cefoxitin was more active than the other antibiotics tested against E. coli, Klebsiella, Serratia, Enterobacter, indole-negative and -positive Proteus species. The high effectiveness of cefoxitin against anaerobic bacteria such as Bacteroides fragilis and Clostridium perfringens is discussed. Cefoxitin has an excellent bactericidal potency. Among the combinations tested cefoxitin/sisomicin was most active and obtained synergistic effects in most species. The resistance rate of cefoxitin of 8.7% was reduced to 0.7% with cefoxitin/sisomicin.

Subject of the following study was the penetration activity of cefoxitin into different human tissues. The authors obtained material of the cutis, subcutis, fascia, muscle, spongy bone and compact bone during orthopedic surgery on 20 patients. Cefoxitin was administered by means of a continual infusion of a dose of 45 mg per kg body weight per hour. Tissue and serum levels were studied after infusions lasting 15, 60, 90 and 120 minutes. Altogether the results of 215 specimens of serum and 132 specimens of tissue are recorded. The evaluation showed the following mean tissue levels of cefoxitin: 6.6 micrograms/g in compact bone; 14.4 micrograms/g in spongy bone; 23.3 micrograms/g in muscle; 64.2 micrograms/g in fascia, 69.9 micrograms/g in cutis and 21.7 micrograms/g in subcutis.