The Charta of Milan: basic criteria for the appropriate and accurate use of antibiotics: recommendations of the Italian Society of Chemotherapy.

This article summarizes the recommendations drawn up by the Italian Society of Chemotherapy regarding the proper use of antimicrobial agents for infectious diseases.

The intestinal ecosystem in chronic functional constipation.

Chronic functional constipation is common in infants, and the bacterial composition of stools in this condition is not known. The study aims were to: (i) investigate the composition of the intestinal ecosystem in chronic functional constipation; (ii) establish whether the addition of the water-holding agent calcium polycarbophil to the diet induces an improvement in constipation; and (iii) determine the composition of the intestinal ecosystem after the use of this agent. In total, 42 children (20F, 22M; mean age: 8.