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Short-term treatment of pertussis with azithromycin in infants and young children

A Baće1, T Zrnić, J Begovac

  • 1University Hospital for Infectious Diseases Dr. Fran Mihaljević, Zagreb, Croatia.

European Journal of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases : Official Publication of the European Society of Clinical Microbiology
|June 29, 1999
PubMed

Insights

Azithromycin effectively eradicated Bordetella pertussis in infants and young children. Both 3-day and 5-day azithromycin regimens achieved high negative culture rates for whooping cough, supporting further research.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Infectious Diseases
  • Microbiology
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Bordetella pertussis causes whooping cough, a significant respiratory illness in infants and children.
  • Eradication of B. pertussis from the upper respiratory tract is crucial for preventing transmission.
  • Azithromycin is a macrolide antibiotic with potential efficacy against B. pertussis.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the efficacy and safety of azithromycin in eradicating Bordetella pertussis.
  • To compare two short-term azithromycin treatment durations (3 days vs. 5 days) in pediatric patients.

Main Methods:

  • A prospective, open-label, noncomparative study involving infants and young children.
  • Two azithromycin dosing regimens were administered: 10 mg/kg once daily for 3 days (n=20) or 10 mg/kg on day 1 followed by 5 mg/kg once daily for 4 days (n=17).
  • Bordetella pertussis cultures of the upper respiratory tract were assessed post-treatment.

Main Results:

  • After 7 days of therapy, 94.3% (33/35) of patients had negative Bordetella pertussis cultures.
  • By day 14, all 34 evaluable patients showed negative cultures.
  • The study demonstrated a high rate of B. pertussis eradication with both azithromycin regimens.

Conclusions:

  • Short-term azithromycin administration (3 or 5 days) is effective in eradicating Bordetella pertussis in infants and young children.
  • The findings support the justification for a controlled, comparative study of azithromycin versus erythromycin.
  • Azithromycin presents a promising therapeutic option for managing Bordetella pertussis infections in pediatric populations.

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