Bacitracin therapy in antibiotic-associated pseudomembranous colitis.

Two patients with antibiotic-associated pseudomembranous colitis, and stool positive for Clostridium difficile cytotoxin were successfully treated with oral bacitracin. One patient had previously suffered two relapses of pseudomembranous colitis following successful treatment with vancomycin and one patient was allergic to vancomycin. Bacitracin appears to be a reasonable choice to treat patients with antibiotic-associated colitis who are allergic to vancomycin. Further studies comparing vancomycin and bacitracin are needed.