title: Failure of oral antimicrobial agents in eradicating gastrointestinal colonization with vancomycin-resistant enterococci.
abstract: Eradication of gastrointestinal colonization with vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) using a combination of oral bacitracin and gentamicin was evaluated. Twenty-eight evaluable treated patients were matched with 28 control patients. After 3 months of follow-up, 5 patients (18%) in the treatment group versus 1 patient (4%) in the control group (P = .2) had negative results on stool cultures, with a similar frequency of VRE bacteremia (P = .8). The use of oral bacitracin plus gentamicin did not reduce VRE colonization or bacteremia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine Specialties, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston 77030, USA.
authors.forename: Ray
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hachem
authors.forename: Issam
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Raad
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001414:Bacitracin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016984:Enterococcus faecium / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D005839:Gentamicins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016908:Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017211:Treatment Failure; D020713:Vancomycin Resistance
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D005839:Gentamicins; D001414:Bacitracin