REVIEW ER 'S CONCLUSIONS Evidence suggests that oral antibiotics reduce the incidence of NEC in low birth weight infants .
BACKGROUND Necrotizing enterocolitis continues to be a problem , particularly in preterm neonates .
There have been reports published suggesting that the use of enteral antibiotics may be effective as prophylaxis .
This systematic review was undertaken to clarify the issue .
OBJECTIVES To evaluate the benefits and harms of enteral antibiotic prophylaxis for  necrotizing enterocolitis in low birth weight and preterm infants .
Enterobacteriaceae and neonatal necrotising enterocolitis.
A comparative study of bowel colonisation and incidence of necrotising enterocolitis in neonates admitted to an intensive care unit is reported . Neonates of less than 33 weeks gestational age requiring mechanical ventilation for respiratory distress syndrome were r and omised during the first week of life to receive either vancomycin and aztreonam or vancomycin and gentamicin for episodes of suspected sepsis after the first week of life . A higher proportion of neonates who received vancomycin and gentamicin had faecal colonisation with enterobacteriaceae at the end of the second , third , and fourth weeks of life . Treatment with vancomycin and aztreonam was associated with a rapid quantitative reduction in faecal colonisation with enterobacteriaceae , whereas there was no quantitative reduction in colonisation with enterobacteriaceae associated with treatment with vancomycin and gentamicin . There were no differences between the two groups in faecal colonisation with anaerobes , Enterococcus sp , Staphylococcus sp , or yeasts . Six ( 14.6 % ) of 41 who received vancomycin and gentamicin compared with 0 of 40 who received vancomycin and aztreonam subsequently developed necrotising enterocolitis
REVIEW ER 'S CONCLUSIONS Evidence suggests that oral antibiotics reduce the incidence of NEC in low birth weight infants .
BACKGROUND Necrotizing enterocolitis continues to be a problem , particularly in preterm neonates .
There have been reports published suggesting that the use of enteral antibiotics may be effective as prophylaxis .
This systematic review was undertaken to clarify the issue .
OBJECTIVES To evaluate the benefits and harms of enteral antibiotic prophylaxis for  necrotizing enterocolitis in low birth weight and preterm infants .