[Post-antibiotic diarrheas: role of Klebsiella oxytoca]

From May 1989 to January 1991, 20 patients were investigated for antibiotic-associated acute diarrhea. Colonoscopy or rectosigmoidoscopy was performed in each patient. Cultures of colonic mucosal biopsies were carried out using conventional culture grounds (cystine-lactose-electrolyte-deficient). The aim of this study was to investigate the role of a gram negative bacillus: Klebsiella oxytoca. Among the 20 patients with antibiotic-associated acute diarrhea, 11 had bloody and mucus diarrhea and colitis ranging from a right-sided hemorrhagic to diffuse acute ulcerative or erosive colitis, 7 had a grossly normal colonic appearance, while 2 had mucus diarrhea and pseudomembranous colitis. Of colonic biopsies cultures obtained from 36 control patients, 15 had a normal colonic appearance, 15 had ulcerative or crohn's colitis, 6 had well-tolerated amoxicillin therapy. Klebsiella oxytoca was never found in the 36 control patients; Klebsiella oxytoca was noted among 8/11 patients with mucus-discharging and bloody diarrhea. These results suggest that antibiotic-associated, non pseudomembranous colitis is frequently associated with Klebsiella oxytoca infection, which may be the cause of this type of colitis.