Fewer infections after prostate biopsy with tailor-made antibiotics

Preventive antibiotics during a prostate biopsy work better if resistance to the standard antibiotic is tested first. In the case of resistance, an antibiotic can be selected against which there is no resistance yet. A study from the Radboud university medical center in Nijmegen shows that such a tailor-made antibiotic almost halves the number of infections.

In a prostate biopsy for possible prostate cancer, intestinal bacteria can cause an infection of the prostate or urinary tract. Prophylactic ciprofloxacin is therefore given, but this antibiotic has become less effective in recent years due to increasing bacterial resistance. This leads to an increase in infectious complications after a prostate biopsy, such as sepsis, hospitalization and very occasionally death.

“Our study shows that we can almost halve the risk of infection by pre-testing for resistance”

First author Sofie Tops

Gut bacteria tested

Researchers at Radboud university medical center have therefore conducted a randomized study into the application of tailor-made antibiotics in patients with resistant intestinal bacteria. In the intervention group, participants’ gut bacteria were collected with a rectal swab, tested for resistance to ciprofloxacin prior to biopsy. In case of resistance, the participant was given a tailor-made antibiotic that was still effective against the intestinal bacteria. Its effectiveness had been tested in the laboratory. In the control group, participants received standard treatment with ciprofloxacin. The study lasted three years and was done in 11 hospitals nationwide. From b