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Studies of patients in a laminar air flow unit
Author(s) -
Bodey Gerald P.,
Freireich Emil. J.,
Frei Emil
Publication year - 1969
Publication title -
cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.052
H-Index - 304
eISSN - 1097-0142
pISSN - 0008-543X
DOI - 10.1002/1097-0142(196911)24:5<972::aid-cncr2820240516>3.0.co;2-k
Subject(s) - anaerobic bacteria , bacteria , medicine , anaerobic exercise , throat , antibiotics , acute leukemia , flora (microbiology) , microbiology and biotechnology , nose , leukemia , laminar flow , gastroenterology , surgery , physiology , biology , genetics , physics , thermodynamics
Six patients with acute leukemia were studied in a laminar air flow unit. Prophylactic oral and topical antibiotics were administered to suppress their endogenous microbial flora. They remained in the unit for 50 to 118 days, and 5 patients tolerated the confinement quite well. The antibiotics completely suppressed all anaerobic bacteria and fungi from the nose and ears and 25% of anaerobic bacteria and 20% of fungi from the throat. Approximately 90% of aerobic bacteria were completely suppressed from all 3 sites. All aerobic and anaerobic bacteria and 67%of fungi cultured from stool specimens were completely suppressed. Cleansing procedures significantly reduced the number of organisms on the skin but did not eliminate some species. Three of the 6 patients achieved remission of their leukemia. Three patients never developed infection, and 2 never became ill during their stay in the unit.