Abstract
To determine the effect of trimethoprim/sulphamethoxazole treatment on the natural population of lactic acid bacteria in the intestinal tract and to determine if any of the strains developed resistance to antibiotics. Lactic acid bacteria were isolated from stool samples of 100 children. The isolates were identified based on biochemical characteristics and DNA profiles obtained from polymerase chain reaction with genus- and species-specific primers. Resistance to sulphamethoxazole, streptomycin, compound sulphonamides, chloramphenicol and vancomycin was tested using the paper-disk method. The lactic acid bacteria were identified as Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus brevis, Lactobacillus paracasei, Lactobacillus pentosus, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Leuconostoc mesenteroides subsp. mesenteroides, Enterococcus spp. and Weissella spp. Lactobacillus plantarum and Bifidobacterium spp. were not isolated. All strains, except two, were sensitive to chloramphenicol and streptomycin. Thirty-five percent of the isolates were resistant to vancomycin, 50% to compound sulphonamides and 66% to sulphamethoxazole. Treatment with trimethoprim/sulphamethoxazole repressed a large number of lactic acid bacteria normally present in the intestinal tract of children. A number of strains were resistant to sulphamethoxazole and may be used as probiotics to correct the imbalance in lactic acid bacteria.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
