Studies of intestinal microbial flora in the post-BMT (bone marrow transplantation) patients under a protected environment

Abstract

The changes of microbial burdens of six patients with leukemia (four patients with acute leukemia; two patients with chronic leukemia) were studied before and after bone marrow transplantation (BMT) under protected isolation. Oral nonabsorbable and topical antibodies were administered prophylactically to all patients. Under a protected environment, genus and species number of intestinal microbial flora were not so decreased in all patients who were treated with antibiotics, but no episodes of severe septicemia were detected due to intestinal microbial flora. From many previous reports, the same pathogen was isolated from both blood culture and stool in the patients with septicemia, however, no septicemia developed in our cases in spite of residue of many intestinal bacteria. These data have demonstrated a significant advantage of treatment with protected isolation and intensive antibiotic prophylaxis through oral, topical and intravenous administration for severe infection prevention.