Simultaneous Degradation, Dehalogenation, and Detoxification of Halogenated Antibiotics by Carbon Dioxide Radical Anions

Despite the extensive application of advanced oxidation processes(AOPs)in water treatment,the efficiency of AOPs in eliminating various emerging contaminants such as halogenated antibiotics is constrained by a number of factors.Halogen moieties exhibit strong resistance to oxidative radicals,affecting the dehalogenation and detoxification efficiencies.To address these limitations of AOPs,advanced reduction processes(ARPs)have been proposed.Herein,a novel nucleophilic reductant—namely,the carbon dioxide radical anion(CO_(2)^(·-))—is introduced for the simultaneous degradation,dehalogenation,and detoxification of florfenicol(FF),a typical halogenated antibiotic.The results demonstrate that FF is completely eliminated by CO_(2)^(·-),with approximately 100%of Cland 46%of Freleased after 120 min of treatment.Simultaneous detoxification is observed,which exhibits a linear response to the release of free inorganic halogen ions(R^(2)=0.97,p<0.01).The formation of halogen-free products is the primary reason for the superior detoxification performance of this method,in comparison with conventional hydroxyl-radical-based AOPs.Products identification and density functional theory(DFT)calculations reveal the underlying dehalogenation mechanism,in which the chlorine moiety of FF is more susceptible than other moieties to nucleophilic attack by CO_(2)^(·-).Moreover,CO_(2)^(·-)-based ARPs exhibit superior dehalogenation efficiencies(>75%)in degrading a series of halogenated antibiotics,including chloramphenicol(CAP),thiamphenicol(THA),diclofenac(DLF),triclosan(TCS),and ciprofloxacin(CIP).The system shows high tolerance to the pH of the solution and the presence of natural water constituents,and demonstrates an excellent degradation performance in actual groundwater,indicating the strong application potential of CO_(2)^(·-)-based ARPs in real life.Overall,this study elucidates the feasibility of CO_(2)^(·-)for the simultaneous degradation,dehalogenation,and detoxification of halogenated antibiotics and provides a promising method for their regulation during water or wastewater treatment.

A novel Ag/ZnO core-shell structure for efficient sterilization synergizing antibiotics and subsequently removing residuals

The massive use of antibiotics has led to the aggravation of bacterial resistance and also brought environmental pollution problems.This poses a great threat to human health.If the dosage of antibiotics is reduced by increasing its bactericidal performance,the emergence of drug resistance is certainly delayed,so that there's not enough time for developing drug resistance during treatment.Therefore,we selected typical representative materials of metal Ag and semiconductor ZnO nano-bactericides to design and synthesize Ag/ZnO hollow core-shell structures(AZ for short).Antibiotics are grafted on the surface of AZ through rational modification to form a composite sterilization system.The research results show that the antibacterial efficiency of the composite system is significantly increased,from the sum(34.7%+22.8%-57.5%)of the antibacterial efficiency of AZ and gentamicin to 80.2%,net synergizes 22.7%,which fully reflects the effect of 1+1>2.Therefore,the dosage of antibiotics can be drastically reduced in this way,which makes both the possibility of bacterial resistance and medical expenses remarkably decrease.Subsequently,residual antibiotics can be degraded under simple illumination using AZ-self as a photocatalyst,which cuts off the path of environmental pollution.In short,such an innovative route has guiding significance for drug resistance.

Indication of conservative treatment by antibiotics for uncomplicated and complicated acute appendicitis

BACKGROUND Acute appendicitis is one of the most common emergency abdominal disease,and recent studies have evaluated conservative treatment using antibiotics for uncomplicated appendicitis.Although the efficacy of conservative treatment for uncomplicated appendicitis is known,its efficacy for complicated appendicitis remains unknown,so are risk factors for the conservative treatment of appendi-citis.In our institution,conservative treatment has long been the first choice for most appendicitis cases,except for perforation.Therefore,this novel study inves-tigated the outcomes of conservative treatment for uncomplicated and compli-cated acute appendicitis and the risk factors associated with conservative treat-ment.treatment.The significant and independent predictors of resistance to conservative treatment were body temperature≥37.3℃,appendicolith and Douglas sinus fluid visible on computed tomography(CT).The rate of resistance to conservative treatment was 66.7%(6/9)for patients with the above three factors,22.9%(8/35)for patients with two factors(appendicolith and body temperature≥37.3℃),16.7%(2/12)for patients with two factors(Douglas sinus fluid and appendicolith)and 11.1%(1/9)for patients with two factors(Douglas sinus fluid and body temperature≥37.3℃).CONCLUSION A temperature≥37.3℃,appendicolith and Douglas sinus fluid on CT might be clinical risk factors of resistance to conservative treatment for acute appendicitis.

Prescription of Antibiotics in Oral-Dental Practice: Case of the Dental Practice at the Coyah Prefectoral Hospital in the Republic of Guinea 2019-2020

Introduction: Antibiotics are medications that have the property of destroying bacteria or preventing their proliferation. The aim of this study is to evaluate antibiotic prescriptions in oral practice: case of the dental office of the Coyah prefectural hospital. Methods: This is a descriptive cross-sectional study which took place from August 2019 to January 2020 inclusive, i.e. a duration of six (6) months, during which 400 patients were identified. Results: Our results revealed a frequency of 70% of antibiotic prescriptions. The 16 - 25-year-old age group was the most dismayed, at 47.25% and with an average age of 27.78 years. Men represent 55% compared to 45% of women, i.e. sex ratio of 1.22. Pulp gangrene was the most common pathology in 55% of cases. The most prescribed family was Betalactamine or 61.71% and the most represented molecules were Amoxicillin with 56.10% followed by Metronidazole or 34.16%. And the favorable prognosis was observed in 99% of cases. Conclusion: Prescription should always be based on the benefit-risk ratio. This prescription by practitioners aims to prevent or eradicate infections and pain in order to obtain a good therapeutic result.

Antimicrobial Activity of Some Commercial Toothpastes and Antibiotics on Two Oral Pathogenic Bacteria—An in-Vitro Study

Oral health problems such as periodontal diseases, dental caries, and endodontic infections have a significant negative impact on oral health and impose a substantial financial burden on the global population. The prevalence of these issues is increasing due to the buildup of bacterial plaque and the growing resistance of bacteria to antimicrobial treatments. The aims of this study to evaluate the anti-bacterial activity of four types of antibiotics (Amoxicillin, Augmentin, Azithromycin and Metronidazole) and four types of toothpastes (Sensodyne, ipana, denta and cariax Gingival Kin) on two oral pathogenic bacteria (Streptococcus mutans and Staphylococcus epidermidis). Bacterial samples of previously isolated Streptococcus mutans and Staphylococcusepidermidis were used as test organisms and the Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method was employed to assess the antibacterial efficacy of various antibiotics and evaluate the impact of different toothpastes using a filter paper disc agar measurement technique. Each filter disc was saturated with toothpaste solution in a test tube for approximately 30 to 40 seconds, after which they were placed on Mueller-Hinton broth bacterial cultures in petri dishes. These Petri dishes were then incubated at 37°C for 24 hours, and the clear zone’s diameter (inhibition zone in mm) was subsequently measured and the results were recorded. The results demonstrated that Sensodyne toothpaste and Metronidazole antibiotic were ineffective against both types of bacteria, while Augmentin and Amoxicillin were effective by high diameter inhibition zones of growth against S. mutans and Azithromycine against S. epidermidis. Also Ipana, Denta, and Cariax Gingival Kin toothpastes exhibited a moderate effect against the two bacteria. This study suggests that certain antibiotics and toothpastes can effectively inhibit the growth of harmful oral bacteria, but not all of them are effective.

Early clinical outcomes of two regimens of prophylactic antibiotics in cardiac surgical patients with delayed sternal closure

BACKGROUND Delayed sternal closure(DSC)can be a lifesaving approach for certain patients who have undergone cardiac surgery.The value of the type of prophylactic antibiotics in DSC is still debatable.AIM To investigate clinical outcomes of different prophylactic antibiotic regimens in patients who had DSC after cardiac surgery.METHODS This was a retrospective observational single-center study.Fifty-three consecutive patients who underwent cardiac surgery and had an indication for DSC were included.Patients were subjected to two regimens of antibiotics:Narrow-spectrum and broad-spectrum regimens.RESULTS The main outcome measures were length of hospital and intensive care unit(ICU)stay,duration of mechanical ventilation,and mortality.Of the 53 patients,12(22.6%)received narrow-spectrum antibiotics,and 41(77.4%)received broad-spectrum antibiotics.The mean age was 59.0±12.1 years,without significant differences between the groups.The mean duration of antibiotic use was significantly longer in the broad-spectrum than the narrowspectrum group(11.9±8.7 vs 3.4±2.0 d,P<0.001).The median duration of open chest was 3.0(2.0-5.0)d for all patients,with no difference between groups(P=0.146).The median duration of mechanical ventilation was significantly longer in the broad-spectrum group[60.0(Δinterquartile range(IQR)170.0)h vs 50.0(ΔIQR 113.0)h,P=0.047].Similarly,the median length of stay for both ICU and hospital were significantly longer in the broadspectrum group[7.5(ΔIQR 10.0)d vs 5.0(ΔIQR 5.0)d,P=0.008]and[27.0(ΔIQR 30.0)d vs 19.0(ΔIQR 21.0)d,P=0.031].Five(9.8%)patients were readmitted to the ICU and 18(34.6%)patients died without a difference between groups.CONCLUSION Prophylactic broad-spectrum antibiotics did not improve clinical outcomes in patients with DSC post-cardiac surgery but was associated with longer ventilation duration,length of ICU and hospital stays vs narrow-spectrum antibiotics.

Current trends in nanomaterials-mediated biosensing platforms and signal amplification strategies for antibiotics detection in dairy products

Dairy products have become one of the most prevalent daily foods worldwide,but safety concerns are rising.In dairy farming,unscrupulous traders misuse antibiotics to treat some diseases such as mastitis in cows,leading to antibiotic residues in dairy products.Rapid,sensitive,and simple detection methods for antibiotic residues are particularly important for food safety in dairy products.Traditional detection technology can effectively detect antibiotics,but there are defects such as complicated pre-treatment and high cost.Biosensors are widely used in food safety due to fast detection speed,low detection cost,strong anti-interference ability,and suitability for the field application.Nevertheless,these sensors often fail to trigger the signal conversion output due to low target concentration.To cope with this issue,some high-efficiency signal amplification systems can be introduced to improve the detection sensitivity and linear range of biosensors.In this review,we focused on:(i)Sources and toxicity of major antibiotics in animal-derived foods.(ii)Nanomaterial-mediated biosensors for real-time detection of target antibiotics in animal-derived foods.(iii)Signal amplification techniques to increase the sensitivity of biosensors.Finally,future prospects and challenges in this research field are discussed.

Research Progress of Ketolide Antibiotics

Macrolide antibiotics have been widely used in clinic due to their good antibacterial effects and high safety, but the drug-resistant bacteria appear constantly. To solve the problem of drug resistance in pathogens, scholars obtain the third generation of macrolide antibiotics, ketolide antibiotics, which are developed by modifying the structure of macrolide antibiotics, thereby efficiently solving the problem. Ketolide antibiotics are a type of erythromycin derivatives with macrolide structure, and the typical drugs mainly include telithromycin, cethromycin and solithromycin, etc . This paper briefly introduced the recent progress of ketolide antibiotics, with an attempt to provide help to the research and development of new macrolide antibiotics.

In Situ Raman Monitoring of Trace Antibiotics in Different Harsh Water Environments

In situ surface-enhanced Raman scattering(SERS)is a widely used operando analytical technique,while facing numerous complex factors in applications under aqueous environment,such as low detection sensitivity,poor anti-interference capability,etc.,resulting in unreliable detectability.To address these issues,herein a new hydrophobic SERS strategy has been attempted.By comprehensively designing and researching a SERS-active structure of superhydrophobic ZnO/Ag nanowires,we demonstrate that hydrophobicity can not only draw analytes from water onto substrate,but also adjust"hottest spot"from the bottom of the nanowires to the top.As a result,the structure can simultaneously concentrate the dispersed molecules in water and the enhanced electric field in structure into a same zone,while perfecting its own anti-interference ability.The underwater in situ analytical enhancement factor of this platform is as high as 1.67×10^(11),and the operando limited of detection for metronidazole(MNZ)reaches to 10^(-9)M.Most importantly,we also successfully generalized this structure to various real in situ detection scenarios,including on-site detection of MNZ in corrosive urine,real-time warning of wrong dose of MNZ during intravenous therapy,in situ monitoring of MNZ in flowing wastewater with particulate interference,etc.,demonstrating the great application potential of this hydrophobic platform.This work realizes a synergistic promotion for in situ SERS performance under aqueous environment,and also provides a novel view for improving other in situ analytical techniques.

Single flow treatment degradation of antibiotics in water using falling-film dielectric barrier discharge

The environmental contamination caused by antibiotics is increasingly conspicuous due to their widespread manufacture and misuse. Plasma has been employed in recent years for the remediation of antibiotic pollution in the environment. In this work, a falling-film dielectric barrier discharge was used to degrade the antibiotic tetracycline(TC) in water. The reactor combined the gas-liquid discharge and active gas bubbling to improve the TC degradation performance. The discharge characteristics, chemical species’ concentration, and degradation rates at different parameters were systematically studied. Under the optimized conditions(working gas was pure oxygen, liquid flow rate was 100 mL/min, gas flow rate was 1 L/min,voltage was 20 kV, single treatment), TC was removed beyond 70% in a single flow treatment with an energy efficiency of 145 mg/(kW·h). The reactor design facilitated gas and liquid flow in the plasma area to produce more ozone in bubbles after a single flow under pure oxygen conditions, affording fast TC degradation. Furthermore, long-term stationary experiment indicated that long-lived active species can sustain the degradation of TC. Compared with other plasma treatment systems, this work offers a fast and efficient degradation method, showing significant potential in practical industrial applications.

Screening for Streptomyces Hygroscopicus Strains with High Production of Agricultural Antibiotics by Streptomycin Resistance

[Objective] The research aimed to screen Streptomyces hygroscopicus strains with high production of agricultural antibiotics. [ Method] A strain of S. hygroscopicus was screened from the soil of Hainan Island. After natural screening and consecutive ultraviolet induced mutation twice, S6-7 strain was obtained as the original strain then treated by UV irradiation and streptomycin resistance screening, and finally rescreened through shake-flask fermentation. [Result] 7 better strains were selected by primary screening from 62 single colonies which were picked out randomly. After 3 generations of consecutive cultivation on slant media and rescreening, 5 strains presented obvious forward mutation. The forward mutation rate reached 8.06%, and the largest production increasing rate came up to 25.11%. [Conclusion] By combining streptomycin resistance screening and conventional ultraviolet induced mutation, both the antibiotic-producing capacity and forward mutation screening efficiency of the original strain were greatly enhanced.

Gel Filtration Chromatography Combined with Bradford Method for Determination of Total Residual Protein in Ferment Antibiotics

Aim A novel method has been developed for evaluation of the levels of total residual protein in antibiotics produced by fermentation using gel filtration chromatography (GFC) combined with Bradford assay based on determination of residual protein in lincomycin hydrochloride. Methods The chromatographic conditions were SuperdexTM peptide column, 0.01 mol*L-1 phosphate buffer solution as mobile phase, and flow rate of 1 mL·min-1. Five hundred microliters of lincomycin hydrochloride solution (3 g of lincomycin hydrochloride dissolved in 10 mL of mobile phase) was injected into the chromatograph and the eluted solution was collected between 6 min and 14.5 min (protein eluted from column within this period), and the residual content of total protein in the eluted solution was assayed using Bradford assay method. Results The average recovery was more than 90% for bovine serum albumin, the calibration equation for the range of 0-12 μg·mL-1 of protein was y=-0.002 4x2+0.064 2x+0.002 9, r2=0.999 9, RSD=0.1%-0.9%, and the LOD and LOQ were 3 and 10 ng·mL-1 of protein, respectively. Conclusion The novel method for determining the residual protein in ferment antibio-tics is simple, rapid, and precise.

抗生素领域研究热点分析——基于《中国抗生素杂志》和《Jounal of Antibiotics》(日本)近5年载文知识图谱计量分析

目的探索对比中、外抗生素领域近5年研究热点和前沿。方法运用文献计量可视化软件Citespace,对比分析《中国抗生素杂志》与《Jounal of Antibiotics》(日本)(下文简称《J Antibiotics》)两刊近5年刊载文量、影响因子、文献关键词知识图谱,探索抗生素领域中、外文文献关注热点和前沿,寻找国内刊物与国际刊物载文区别以及探索《中国抗生素杂志》的发展之路。结果两刊载文量均处于呈逐年下降并趋于稳定;《中国抗生素杂志》近5年影响因子逐步提升,《J Antibiotics》相对稳定;关键词共现和聚类分析显示两刊共同关注热点是“耐药性”,《中国抗生素杂志》载文热点是抗生素药物研究成果与临床研究成果相结合,及中药在感染性疾病上的应用以及国内抗生素药物的质量控制;《J Antibiotics》则以抗生素类新药剂、天然产物药物研发等基础研究论文为主。结论抗生素领域发展前沿主要是耐药性的探究以及应对此问题的新药及新的治疗方法的研发。在保持现有载文特色的基础上,《中国抗生素杂志》期待能够更多地报道抗生素和天然产物药物领域的基础研究成果。

Recent developments in visible-light photocatalytic degradation of antibiotics

With the significant discharge of antibiotic wastewater into the aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, antibiotic pollution has become a serious problem and presents a hazardous risk to the environment. To address such issues, various investigations on the removal of antibiotics have been undertaken. Photocatalysis has received tremendous attention owing to its great potential in removing antibiotics from aqueous solutions via a green, economic, and effective process. However, such a technology employing traditional photocatalysts suffers from major drawbacks such as light absorption being restricted to the UV spectrum only and fast charge recombination. To overcome these issues, considerable effort has been directed towards the development of advanced visible light-driven photocatalysts. This mini review summarises recent research progress in the state-of-the-art design and fabrication of photocatalysts with visible-light response for photocatalytic degradation of antibiotic wastewater. Such design strategies involve the doping of metal and non-metal into ultraviolet light-driven photocatalysts, development of new semiconductor photocatalysts, construction of heterojunction photocatalysts, and fabrication of surface plasmon resonance-enhanced photocatalytic systems. Additionally, some perspectives on the challenges and future developments in the area of photocatalytic degradation of antibiotics are provided.

Role of prophylactic antibiotics in cirrhotic patients with variceal bleeding

Bacterial infections are common in cirrhotic patients with acute variceal bleeding,occurring in 20%within48 h.Outcomes including early rebleeding and failure to control bleeding are strongly associated with bacterial infection.However,mortality from variceal bleeding is largely determined by the severity of liver disease.Besides a higher Child-Pugh score,patients with hepatocellular carcinoma are particularly susceptible to infections.Despite several hypotheses that include increased use of instruments,greater risk of aspiration pneumonia and higher bacterial translocation,it remains debatable whether variceal bleeding results in infection or vice versa but studies suggest that antibiotic prophylaxis prior to endoscopy and up to 8 h is useful in reducing bacteremia and spontaneous bacterial peritonitis.Aerobic gram negative bacilli of enteric origin are most commonly isolated from cultures,but more recently,gram positives and quinolone-resistant organisms are increasingly seen,even though their clinical significance is unclear.Fluoroquinolones(including ciprofloxacin and norfloxacin)used for short term(7 d)have the most robust evidence and are recommended in most expert guidelines.Short term intravenous cephalosporin(especially ceftriaxone),given in a hospital setting with prevalent quinolone-resistant organisms,has been shown in studies to be beneficial,particularly in high risk patients with advanced cirrhosis.

Bacteriophages, revitalized after 100 years in the shadow of antibiotics

The year 2015 marks 100 years since Dr.Frederick Twort discovered the"filterable lytic factor",which was later independently discovered and named "bacteriophage" by Dr.Felix d’Herelle.On this memorable centennial,it is exciting to see a special issue published by Virologica Sinica on Phages and Therapy.In this issue,readers will not only fi nd that bacteriophage research is a

Detection of 36 antibiotics in coastal waters using high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry

Among pharmaceuticals and personal care products released into the aquatic environment, antibiotics are of particular concern, because of their ubiquity and health effects. Although scientists have recently paid more attention to the threat of antibiotics to coastal ecosystems, researchers have often focused on relatively few antibiotics, because of the absence of suitable analytical methods. We have therefore developed a method for the rapid detection of 36 antibiotic residues in coastal waters, including tetracyclines （TCs）, sulfanilamides （SAs）, and quinolones （QLs）. The method consists of solid-phase extraction （SPE） and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry （LC-MS/MS） analysis, using electrospray ionization （ESI） in positive mode. The SPE was performed with Oasis HLB and Oasis MCX cartridges. Chromatographic separation on a Cr8 column was achieved using a binary eluent containing methanol and water with 0.1% formic acid. Typical recoveries of the analytes ranged from 67.4% to 109.3% at a fortification level of 100 ng/L. The precision of the method, calculated as relative standard deviation （RSD）, was below 14.6% for all the compounds. The limits of detection （LODs） varied from 0.45 pg to 7.97 pg. The method was applied to detemaine the target analytes in coastal waters of the Yellow Sea in Liaoning, China. Among the tested antibiotics, 31 were found in coastal ＇waters, with their concentrations between the LOD and 212.5 ng/L. These data indicate that this method is valid for analysis of antibiotics in coastal waters. The study first reports such a large number of antibiotics along the Yellow Sea coast of Liaoning, and should facilitate future comprehensive evaluation of antibiotics in coastal ecosystems

Antibiotics,gut microbiota,and irritable bowel syndrome:What are the relations?

Irritable bowel syndrome(IBS)is a functional gastrointestinal disorder in which recurrent abdominal pain is associated with defecation or a change in bowel habits(constipation,diarrhea,or both),and it is often accompanied by symptoms of abdominal bloating and distension.IBS is an important health care issue because it negatively affects the quality of life of patients and places a considerable financial burden on health care systems.Despite extensive research,the etiology and underlying pathophysiology of IBS remain incompletely understood.Proposed mechanisms involved in its pathogenesis include increased intestinal permeability,changes in the immune system,visceral hypersensitivity,impaired gut motility,and emotional disorders.Recently,accumulating evidence has highlighted the important role of the gut microbiota in the development of IBS.Microbial dysbiosis within the gut is thought to contribute to all aspects of its multifactorial pathogenesis.The last few decades have also seen an increasing interest in the impact of antibiotics on the gut microbiota.Moreover,antibiotics have been suggested to play a role in the development of IBS.Extensive research has established that antibacterial therapy induces remarkable shifts in the bacterial community composition that are quite similar to those observed in IBS.This suggestion is further supported by data from cohort and case-control studies,indicating that antibiotic treatment is associated with an increased risk of IBS.This paper summarizes the main findings on this issue and contributes to a deeper understanding of the link between antibiotic use and the development of IBS.

Effect of replacing antibiotics using multi-enzyme preparations on production performance and antioxidant activity in piglets

The study was conducted to investigate the effects of replacing antibiotics using multi-enzyme preparations on growth performance,coefficient of total tract apparent digestibility,digestive enzyme activity,and antioxidant property in piglets.A total of 160 piglets（（21.35±0.22）kg）were randomly assigned to five dietary treatments：1）basal diet supplemented with antibiotics（AC）,2）antibiotic diet supplemented with 0.5 g kg^-1 multi-enzyme preparations（AC＋0.5EP）,3）antibiotic diet supplemented with 1.5 g kg^-1 multi-enzyme preparations（AC＋1.5EP）,4）basal diet supplemented with a half dosage of antibiotics and 1.5 g kg^-1 multi-enzyme preparations（AH＋1.5EP）,and 5）basal diet supplemented with 1.5 g kg^-1 multienzyme preparations（BC＋1.5EP）.The results showed that AC＋1.5EP significantly improved the feed efficiency,apparent digestibility of ether extract（EE）and crude ash（CA）,lipase activity in pancreas and duodenum content,maltase and lactase activity in jejunum and ileum mucosa,glutathione peroxidase（GSH-Px）concentration in serum and liver,and decreased malondialdehyde（MDA）concentration in serum and liver compared with piglets receiving AC（P〈0.05）.Piglets receiving BC＋1.5EP showed no significant difference in growth performance（P〉0.05）but had lower MDA concentration than piglets receiving AC（P〈0.05）.The apparent digestibility of EE and crude fiber（CF）,duodenal lipase activity,jejunum mucosa maltase,and ileum mucosa lactase activity of piglets receiving AH＋1.5EP or BC＋1.5EP were significantly improved compared with piglets receiving AC（P〈0.05）.These results indicated an additive growth promotion effect between antibiotics and multi-enzyme preparations on piglets,and the multi-enzyme preparations may be used as substitutes for antibiotics for improving piglet production performance and health status.

Antibiotics and probiotics in treatment of inflammatory bowel disease

Many experimental and clinical observations suggest that intestinal microflora plays a potential role in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease （IBD）. Manipulation of the luminal content using antibiotics or probiotics represents a potentially effective therapeutic option. The available studies do not support the use of antibiotics in ulcerative colitis （UC）. Antibiotics are effective in treating septic complications of Crohn＇s disease （CD） but their use as a primary therapy is more controversial, although this approach is frequently and successfully adopted in clinical practice.There is evidence that probiotic therapy may be effective in the prevention and treatment of mild to moderate UC. In contrast, a lack of successful study data at present precludes the widespread use of probiotics in the treatment of CD. Both antibiotics and probiotics appear to play a beneficial role in the treatment and prevention of pouchitis and further trials are warranted to fully quantify their clinical efficacy.