Selective digestive decontamination

Selective digestive decontamination (SDD) is a process used on intensive care units to reduce the occurrence of infections in critically ill people. It involves the administration of antibiotics to reduce bacteria and fungi in the digestive tract to prevent them from causing illness in those at high risk.{{cite journal |vauthors=Plantinga NL, Bonten MJ | title=Selective decontamination and antibiotic resistance in ICUs | journal=Crit Care | date=24 Jun 2015 | volume=19 | issue=1 | pages=259 | doi=10.1186/s13054-015-0967-9 | pmid=26104045 | pmc=4479224 | doi-access=free }} It can target both normal and abnormal flora.{{cite journal | title=Selective decontamination of the digestive tract: an update of the evidence | author1=L Silvestri|author2=H K F van Saene | journal=HSR Proc Intensive Care Cardiovasc Anesth. | year=2012 | volume=4 | issue=1 | pages=21–29 | pmc=3484923 | pmid=23440328}}

A related treatment (selective oropharyngeal decontamination, SOD) consists of the same antibiotics but only to remove bacteria in the mouth and not the bowel.