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 .
Alterations in stool flora resulting from oral kanamycin prophylaxis of necrotizing enterocolitis.
To evaluate the effects of oral kanamycin prophylaxis for  necrotizing enterocolitis  on stool flora , 99 high-risk infants were studied on a double-blind basis during the first month of life . Oral kanamycin prophylaxis result ed in a significant decrase in gram-negative enteric colonization on Days 3 to 5 , 10 , 17 , and 24 compared to control infants ( P P P = 0.2 ) . The data indicate that oral kanamycin prophylaxis significantly reduces the colonization rate and overgrowth of gram-negative enteric flora , but does not eliminate the occurrence of NEC in a high-risk group of infants
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 .