[Cefditoren pivoxil: A new oral cephalosporin for skin, soft tissue and respiratory tract infections].

Cefditoren pivoxil, a new-third generation cephalosporin antibiotic that has recently been granted approval in Spain, shows important activity over a large part of the pathogens causing skin, soft tissue and respiratory tract infections, including Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. Cefditoren has also been shown to be stable against hydrolysis by many common beta-lactamases. Data from in vitro studies and clinical trials show this antibiotic as an oral formulation with an intrinsic activity against Haemophilus influenzae, Moraxella catarrhalis and Streptococcus pneumoniae equivalent to that of other third-generation cephalosporins administered via parenteral, like cefotaxime or ceftriaxone, thereby placing its maximal benefits mainly in the treatment of ambulatory infections. This paper reviews the main characteristics of cefditoren pivoxil (spectrum of activity, chemical structure, mechanism of action, pharmacokinetics, adverse effects and clinical efficacy) and attempts to find its place in current antibiotic therapeutics.