Influence of temocillin on human bowel flora.

The influence of temocillin on intestinal flora was investigated in 6 healthy volunteers, each of whom received intravenous temocillin 1g twice daily over a period of 6 to 7 days. Dilution series of stool samples were investigated before, during and immediately after treatment, as well as 9 to 14 days after treatment had been stopped. The basic effect of temocillin was a pronounced reduction in Enterobacteriaceae during and immediately after treatment. Nine to 14 days after conclusion of treatment, the Enterobacteriaceae had almost reattained their original numbers. No clear influence could be established for temocillin on the total numbers of aerobic bacteria, strict anaerobes, or the members of the Bacteroides fragilis group. The number of enterococci increased slightly during treatment, but antibiotic-resistant Enterobacteriaceae were not selected by treatment. It can be concluded that in these volunteers the colonisation resistance of the colon was maintained during treatment, and that temocillin exerted an influence comparable to a selective decontamination of the intestine.