FIG. 2.

Graphic summary of the results from the colonization experiments, with separate data for the three portions of the small bowel (proximal, medial, and distal). Columns represent the quantities of E. faecium C68 per gram of intestinal contents in the designated segments collected at 24 h. Since the experiments were performed in two separate series, there were two separate saline control groups. The saline A group corresponds to the experiments testing cefepime, ceftazidime, cefotetan, and ceftriaxone. The saline B group corresponds to the experiments testing clindamycin, metronidazole, piperacillin-tazobactam, and ticarcillin-clavulanic acid. The error bars show the standard deviations for each set of experiments. As in previous experiments in which fecal colony counts were determined, cefotetan, ceftriaxone, clindamycin, and ticarcillin-clavulanic acid promote heavy colonization, whereas cefepime and piperacillin-tazobactam do not.