Chlortetracycline (Aureomycin) in Prevention of Bacteremia Following Oral Surgery

Chemotherapy of experimental streptococcal endocarditis

“…Bacteriostatic agents may partly achieve the first of these goals (Roth et al, 1953;Khairat, 1966). However, two objections may be raised.…”

“…However, two objections may be raised. The evidence that tetracycline decreased the incidence of positive blood cultures after tooth extraction is not decisive because the samples were not diluted enough to eliminate residual antibiotic effect (Roth et al, 1953;Khairat, 1966). Even if the incidence of positive blood cultures is reduced, this may not necessarily prevent seeding of valves.…”

“…Nevertheless, the same agents are often recommended as alternatives to penicillin for prophylaxis during procedures which may induce transient bacteraemia (Roth, Montano, Piccolo, Cavallaro, Sharkey, and Celentano, 1953;Friedberg, 1966a;Khairat, 1966;Dorney, 1970;Cluff and Fekety, 1970;Beeson, 1971). In such situations drugs are given in single doses or short courses; to be effective they would have to exert a rapid and complete antibacterial action.…”

“…Reduction of the proportion of positive blood cultures after tooth extraction has been cited as evidence favouring the use of tetracycline as a prophylactic agent (Roth et al, 1953;Khairat, 1966). However, this evidence may not relate to the ability of an antibiotic to prevent implantation and survival of bacteria on an endocardial focus, and may in fact be misleading due to the presence of antibiotic in the cultured blood.…”