In vitro antibacterial activity of the third-generation oral cephem cefteram (CFTM)--ten years after its first use in the clinical setting--against recent clinical isolates was evaluated and compared with those of other oral cephems. A total of 851 clinical isolates belonging to 13 species used in this study were collected from five medical institutions across Japan during 1996. CFTM showed excellent antibacterial activity against methicillin-susceptible S. aureus and S. pyogenes, equivalent to those of other third-generation oral cephems, except cefixime. Of the S. pneumoniae strains, a high proportion, 34.1%, were penicillin-resistant strains (PRSP), with MIC values of 2.0 micrograms/ml or above, but the MIC50 of CFTM against PRSP was 1.0 microgram/ml. CFTM and the other third-generation oral cephems showed potent antibacterial activity against E. coli, K. pneumoniae, and P. mirabilis. A few strains of E. coli, however, were highly resistant to third-generation oral cephems; that might include extended-spectrum beta-lactamase producing strains. MIC values against P. vulgaris varied significantly, depending on whether they were determined by the broth micro-dilution method or the agar dilution method; growth was observed at high concentrations in the broth micro-dilution method, in which the skip phenomenon was demonstrated, but not in the agar dilution method. The reason for this discrepancy is unknown. Most strains of S. marcescens, C. freundii, and E. cloacae demonstrated resistance to CFTM and the other third-generation oral cephems. CFTM and the other third-generation oral cephems showed excellent antibacterial activities against M. (B.) catarrhalis, N. gonorrhoeae, and H. influenzae, including ampicillin-resistant strains.