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 .
A prospective controlled trial of oral kanamycin in the prevention of neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis.
Alimentary kanamycin , 15 mg/kg/day , was given as prophylaxis for  neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis  in a prospect i ve study . Newborn infants of less than 1,500 gm birth weight who survived until initiation of alimentary nutrition at the University of Florida Neonatal Intensive Care Unit were admitted to a control or study group based on the last digit of the hospital number .  Alimentary kanamycin was not absorbed ; all blood levels determined were less than 0.5 μg/ml . The two groups had similar gestational ages , birth weights , severity of neonatal illness , and frequency of therapeutic procedures . In the study group of 35 infants , none developed neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis , whereas five cases occurred in the 40 control infants ( p=0.038 )
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 .