ABSTRACT
The cephamycins are often referred to as second-generation cephalosporin antibiotics, although they differ quite markedly from antibiotics such as cefuroxime or cefaclor. A primary attribute of the cephamycins is their resistance to a variety of beta-lactamase types, such as the extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBLs) and their narrower-spectrum parents, TEM and SHV beta-lactamases. The cephamycins to be discussed in this chapter are cefotetan and cefoxitin primarily, with secondary discussion of cefmetazole and flomoxef.
