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. 2016 Feb;10(2):DC01-3.
doi: 10.7860/JCDR/2016/14989.7167. Epub 2016 Feb 1.

Chloramphenicol - A Potent Armament Against Multi-Drug Resistant (MDR) Gram Negative Bacilli?

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Chloramphenicol - A Potent Armament Against Multi-Drug Resistant (MDR) Gram Negative Bacilli?

Smita Sood. J Clin Diagn Res. 2016 Feb.

Abstract

Introduction: Multidrug-resistant gram-negative bacteria cause infections which are hard to treat and cause high morbidity and mortality. Due to limited therapeutic options there is a renewed interest upon older antimicrobials which had fallen into disuse as a result of toxic side effects. One such antibiotic is chloramphenicol which was sidelined due to reports linking its use with the development of aplastic anaemia.

Aim: A study was conducted to evaluate the susceptibility of chloramphenicol in light of the emerging problem of multi-drug resistant gram negative bacteria (MDR GNB).

Materials and methods: A total of 483 MDR GNB of the 650 consecutive Gram Negative Bacteria isolated from various clinical samples of patients admitted at a tertiary care hospital in Jaipur between January-June 2014 were screened for chloramphenicol susceptibility by the disc diffusion method as per CLSI guidelines.

Results: The MDR GNB isolates were obtained from 217 (45%) urine, 163 (34%) from respiratory samples, 52(11%) from pus, 42 (9%) from blood and 9 (2%) from body fluids. A 68% of the MDR GNB isolates were found to be sensitive to chloramphenicol.

Conclusion: Clinicians should always check for the local susceptibility of Gram-negative bacteria to chloramphenicol. This antibiotic has a potential to play a role in the therapeutic management of infections due to MDR GNB pathogens.

Keywords: Antimicrobials; Disc diffusion method; Gram negative bacteria.

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Figures

[Table/Fig-1]:
[Table/Fig-1]:
Percentage Isolation of MDR-GNB isolates from various clinical specimens
[Table/Fig-2]:
[Table/Fig-2]:
Frequency distribution of Multi-drug Resistant Gram Negative Bacteria

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