The effect of doxycycline and tetracycline hydrochloride on the aerobic fecal flora, with special reference to Escherichia coli.
The effect on the aerobic faecal flora of a 10-day course of doxycycline or tetracycline hydrochloride was compared in 36 patients with acute infections mainly of respiratory origin. The patients were treated in hospital with a well-developed barrier nursing technique. The proportions of isolates of Escherichia coli resistant to tetracyclines were significantly lower after 10 days' treatment with doxycycline (80%) as well as one month later (24%), compared to the figures for tetracycline HCI (100% and 46%, respectively). The resistant strains selected during therapy probably represented the community flora. Only a small increase in multiresistant strains occurred and no identical strains were found in different patients. Thus, it seems possible to limit the biological side-effects of tetracyclines by a good barrier nursing technique. An increase in the number of E. coli resistant to tetracyclines cannot be avoided, but is more limited when doxycycline is used.
D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000667:Ampicillin / Q000494:pharmacology; D002701:Chloramphenicol / Q000494:pharmacology; D004318:Doxycycline / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009582:Nitrofurantoin / Q000494:pharmacology; D010403:Penicillin Resistance; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000188:drug therapy; D013307:Streptomycin / Q000494:pharmacology; D013449:Sulfonamides / Q000494:pharmacology; D013752:Tetracycline / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013997:Time Factors
D013449:Sulfonamides; D002701:Chloramphenicol; D000667:Ampicillin; D009582:Nitrofurantoin; D013752:Tetracycline; D004318:Doxycycline; D013307:Streptomycin