Effects of KS-R1 (ampicillin suppository) and ampicillin oral dosing on fecal flora of children

Abstract

A newly developed product, KS-R1 (a suppository containing 250 mg potency of ampicillin (ABPC)), was given to 7 children (5 boys and 2 girls) ranging from 4 years and 5 months to 8 years and 10 months in age, 3 times a day (average daily dose, 62.4 mg/kg) for 5 days. As a control, the same amount of ABPC dry syrup was given orally to 7 children (4 boys and 3 girls) ranging from 2 years and 8 months to 7 years and 7 months in age, 3 times a day (average daily dose, 55.3 mg/kg) for 5 days. The effects of these 2 preparations on the bacterial flora of the feces were investigated, and concentrations of ABPC in the feces and sensitivities of the isolated strains to ABPC were determined. The results were as follows. As for Gram-negative bacilli in the feces from children given KS-R1, there was no change in Escherichia coli, Klebsiella sp., Citrobacter sp. and Enterobacter sp. which were isolated from many children 3 days after the end of treatment, but they did not show any constant pattern of change in mean number. Other species did not show any pattern of increase in the number of children from whom they were isolated, or in the number of bacteria during the course after the beginning of treatment. The total number of bacteria identified as Enterobacteriaceae was at the level of 10(8) cells/g on any day of examination. Of Gram-negative bacilli other than Enterobacteriaceae, Pseudomonas sp. showed no constant pattern of change in number. On the other hand, of Gram-positive bacteria, there was no constant pattern of change in the number of Staphylococcus aureus, Coagulase-negative Staphylococci began to be isolated from many children 5 days after the beginning of treatment and were isolated from all children 5 days after the end of treatment, but there was no tendency for the mean number to increase. Enterococcus sp. was not isolated from 3 children 3 days after the beginning of treatment, and was decreased in number by one order in 3 out of other 4 children as compared with before-treatment. However, this species was isolated from all children 3 days after the end of treatment, and the mean number of bacteria was similar to that before-treatment although the number of bacteria was different in individual children.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)