Changes during travel in the composition and antibiotic resistance pattern of the intestinal Enterobacteriaceae flora: results from a study of mecillinam prophylaxis against travellers' diarrhoea.
A randomized double-blind study was carried out in a group of Danish students visiting Mexico for 2 weeks to investigate the efficacy of mecillinam when given orally in preventing travellers' diarrhoea. The subjects took either 200 mg mecillinam daily as a single dose or placebo for 14 days. Nine (56%) out of 16 taking placebo and 3 (19%) out of 16 taking mecillinam developed travellers' diarrhoea (p less than 0.05). The pathogenic aetiology was not ascertained. A complete change in the Enterobacteriaceae flora took place during travel. A highly antibiotic-resistant Enterobacteriaceae flora was acquired in Mexico in subjects on mecillinam prophylaxis as well as on placebo. Selection of mecillinam-resistant bacteria was minimal.
D000328:Adult; D000560:Amdinocillin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004755:Enterobacteriaceae / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008800:Mexico; D010403:Penicillin Resistance; D011897:Random Allocation; D014195:Travel
D000560:Amdinocillin