Abstract
Case 1; a 69-year-old female was admitted with aplastic anemia and hemosiderosis. She received iv drip infusions of 15g/day of Carbenicillin (CB-PC) and 3g/day of Cephazolin (CEZ) for seven days because of septicemia. Twelve days after the iv drip she developed abdominal pain with watery diarrhea. Colonoscopy showed small yellowish white plaque-like elevations in the descending and rectosigmoid portions. These lesions were concentrated in the rectum area and anal site while the intervening mucosa appeared normal. Barium enema revealed numerous small sessile polypoid lesions in the transverse, descending and rectosigmoid colon. Case 2; a 14-year-old female was admitted with acute myeloblastic leukemia, receiving antileukemic chemotherapy and iv drip infusions of 9g /day of CEZ. Eleven days after the start of CEZ she complained of abdominal pain and bloody diarrhea. The findings of colo-noscopy and barium enema were similar to those of case 1. CEZ or CB-PC were discontinued to give and steroid hormone were administered rectally with Gentamicin and physiological saline on both cases. The symptoms improved rapidly. Complete recovery of the colonic mucosa was obtained 20 to 30 days later as shown by the follow-up colonoscopy. Colonoscopy is the most useful examination for the diagnosis of pseudomembranous colitis, and should be performed as soon as possible in patients developing diarrhea after taking antibiotics.
