title: The use of prophylactic furazolidone to control a nosocomial epidemic of multiply resistant Salmonella typhimurium in pediatric wards.
abstract: The nosocomial spread of enteric pathogens is often difficult to control in overcrowded pediatric wards. During 1983 and 1984, despite cohorting of patients and enforced hand washing, more than 200 cases of nosocomial multiply resistant Salmonella typhimurium phage type R-9 were observed on two adjacent pediatric wards. Most cases occurred during the summer months. After 19 new cases were detected early in the summer of 1985, oral administration of furazolidone throughout their entire hospital stay (2.5 mg/kg twice daily) was recommended for all subsequently hospitalized infants. Among the 114 (65%) infants who were appropriately treated, only one additional case (1%) was detected. In contrast 11 (19%) cases occurred among the 59 infants who were inappropriately treated: 5 of 35 (14%) of those who were not treated and 6 of 24 (25%) in whom treatment with furazolidone was delayed greater than 24 hours (P less than 0.001 between the appropriately and inappropriately treated groups). In pediatric wards where infection control measures cannot be optimally applied, prophylactic furazolidone administration may be helpful in preventing the spread of enteric pathogens.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatrics, Soroka University Medical Center, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kassis
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dagan
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chipman
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Alkan
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Simo
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gorodischer
mesh_terms: D015331:Cohort Studies; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D004361:Drug Tolerance; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D005664:Furazolidone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007557:Israel / Q000453:epidemiology; D012480:Salmonella Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D012486:Salmonella typhimurium / Q000145:classification / Q000187:drug effects; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D005664:Furazolidone