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Prophylactic non-absorbable antibiotics in leukaemic patients

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 May 2009

Kathleen King
Kathleen King
Affiliation:
Division of Microbiology, Prince of Wales Hospital, Randwick, Sydney, N.S.W. 2031, Australia
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Summary

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A regimen of oral non-absorbable prophylactic antibiotics (kanamycin–vanco–mycin–nystatin) was given to nine severely neutropaenic leukaemic patients on cytotoxic therapy (11 courses), in conjunction with isolation procedures. An appreciable decrease in faecal organisms, especially anaerobes, was apparent after 48 h of commencing the course, and most bacteria had disappeared from the stool after five days. There were three episodes of septicaemia, all with enteric organisms, whilst on these antibiotics; one proved fatal. The emergence of resistance to aminoglycosides in faecal flora, notably Klebsiella, in 6/11 courses constituted a major problem in the use of such prophylaxis.

Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Hygiene , Volume 85 , Issue 1 , August 1980 , pp. 141 - 151
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1980

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