title: Prophylactic non-absorbable antibiotics in leukaemic patients.
abstract: A regimen of oral non-absorbable prophylactic antibiotics (kanamycin-vancomycin-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.
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007612:Kanamycin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007938:Leukemia / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009503:Neutropenia / Q000150:complications; D009761:Nystatin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018805:Sepsis / Q000188:drug therapy; D014640:Vancomycin / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D009761:Nystatin; D007612:Kanamycin; D014640:Vancomycin