title: Effect of oral penicillin on pneumococcal carriage in elderly men with chronic bronchitis.
abstract: A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial was undertaken to evaluate the effect of penicillin on the pneumococcal carrier state of 32 men with chronic bronchitis. Treatment consisted of 250-mg phenoxymethyl penicillin or placebo tablets taken by mouth twice daily for periods of one to three years. Penicillin eradicated Streptococcus pneumoniae from the respiratory tracts of all carriers and prevented colonization with pneumococci for the duration of treatment, whereas placebo had no discernible effect on the carrier state (P = 0.0015). The conclusion is that daily penicillin orally in low doses eliminates pneumococci from the oropharynx of elderly patients with clinically stable chronic bronchitis.
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000368:Aged; D001991:Bronchitis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*; D002353:Carrier State / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010404:Penicillin V / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013296:Streptococcus pneumoniae / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification*
chemical_list: D010404:Penicillin V