Journal of pediatric hematology/oncology
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J. Pediatr. Hematol. Oncol. · Jul 1997
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Clinical TrialInfluence of penicillin prophylaxis on antimicrobial resistance in nasopharyngeal S. pneumoniae among children with sickle cell anemia. The Ancillary Nasopharyngeal Culture Study of Prophylactic Penicillin Study II.
To evaluate the consequences of prolonged prophylactic penicillin use on the rates of nasopharyngeal colonization with Streptococcus pneumoniae and the prevalence of resistant pneumococcal strains in children with sickle cell anemia. ⋯ The potential for continued penicillin prophylaxis to contribute to the development of multiply resistant pneumococci should be considered before continuing penicillin prophylaxis in children with sickle cell anemia who are older than 5 years of age. Added to the published data from PROPS II, which demonstrated no apparent advantage to continue prophylaxis, the data support the conclusion that, for children with no history of invasive pneumococcal disease, consideration should be given to discontinue prophylactic penicillin after their fifth birthday.