These compounds, like penicillins, result in inhibition of bacterial cell wall synthesis.
Bacterial resistance mainly results from bacterial production of beta lactimases which open the beta-lactam ring and so destroy the activity of the cephalosporin.
Note that the beta-lactam ring in cephalosporins is more stable than that found in penicillins and so cephalosporins are not necessarily ineffective if there is penicillin resistance.
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