Pseudomembranous Colitis

Abstract

DIARRHEA and pseudomembranous colitis are recognized complications of antibiotic use. Clindamycin hydrochloride 1 has been implicated in most of the cases, but chloramphenicol sodium succinate, 2 ampicillin sodium, 3 lincomycin hydrochloride monohydrate, 4,5 and tetracycline hydrochloride 6,7 may also cause the disease. Combinations of antibiotics that have included a cephalosporin drug have been implicated in several reports of this disorder. 8 However, we are aware of only two case reports of colitis following the use of cephalosporin alone. 9,10 This report describes a fatal case of cephaloridine-associated colitis. Report of a Case A 67-year-old woman underwent vaginal hysterectomy for uterine prolapse on Oct 5, 1978. On the same day, preoperatively, she received 1.0 g of cephaloridine intramuscularly prophylactically and then 0.5 g intravenously every six hours postoperatively. There was no history of gastrointestinal disorders, and she had been receiving no medications prior to hospital admission. On the first postoperative day,