Warning—Chloramphenicol May Be Good for Your Health

Abstract

Chloramphenicol represents the drug of choice for severe infections due to salmonellae¹ and is regarded as the alternative agent of choice for patients sensitive to penicillin who develop pneumococcal, meningococcal, or Haemophilus influenzae meningitis.² With the increasing number of reports of strains of H influenzae recovered from the cerebrospinal fluid that are resistant to ampicillin, chloramphenicol will play an even greater role in the therapy of bacterial meningitis.^3,4 Recent extensive reports have unequivocally established the important role of anaerobes, particularly Bacteroides fragilis, as causative agents in a wide range of major infections in man.^5-7 Since virtually all anaerobes, except B fragilis, are susceptible to penicillin, and as that agent has a tried and proved record of excellence, recent pharmaceutical industry efforts have been extended to find safe and effective drugs for B fragilis. Some promising agents, such as rifampin, metronidazole, and thiamphenicol, are currently under investigation.