Aspiration Pneumonia in Institutionalized Children

Abstract

The antibiotic therapy of aspiration pneumonia was retrospectively reviewed in 74 institutionalized children with lung abscess (10), necrotizing pneumonia (12), and pneumonitis (52). Anaerobic bacteria were isolated in 69 patients (93%); and in 67 (90.5%), they were mixed with aerobic bacteria. Penicillin G was given to 20 patients, clindamycin to 20, and carbenicillin to 34. Genta micin was concurrently given to 35 of the patients. The mean duration of therapy in the three types of pulmonary infection was: lung abscess 30.2 days, necrotizing pneumonia 26.6 days, and pneumonitis 15.1 days. The mean dura tion of fever after initiation of therapy was 5.8 days, 8.1 days, and 3.4 days, respectively. The mean time for radiologic clearance was 35.6 days for lung abscess, 39.2 days for necrotizing pneumonia, and 13.5 days for pneumonitis. The three antibiotics were equally effective in all patients, including those from whom Bacteroides fragilis was recovered.