Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 11, 2026

Determination of Tolerable Fatty Acids and Cholera Toxin Concentrations Using Human Intestinal Epithelial Cells and BALB/c Mouse Macrophages
09:39

Determination of Tolerable Fatty Acids and Cholera Toxin Concentrations Using Human Intestinal Epithelial Cells and BALB/c Mouse Macrophages

Published on: May 30, 2013

Single-dose azithromycin for the treatment of cholera in adults

Debasish Saha1, Mohammad M Karim, Wasif A Khan

  • 1International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Dhaka, Bangladesh. dsaha@icddrb.org

The New England Journal of Medicine
|June 9, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Single-dose azithromycin effectively treated severe cholera in adults, surpassing ciprofloxacin. This finding is crucial for managing cholera outbreaks caused by current Vibrio cholerae strains.

Area of Science:

  • Infectious Diseases
  • Microbiology
  • Clinical Pharmacology

Background:

  • Single-dose azithromycin is a known treatment for severe cholera in children.
  • Its efficacy in adults with severe cholera remained unevaluated prior to this study.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare the effectiveness of single-dose azithromycin versus ciprofloxacin in treating severe cholera in adults.
  • To assess clinical and microbiological outcomes in adult cholera patients.

Main Methods:

  • A double-blind, randomized trial involving 195 adult men with severe cholera.
  • Patients received either a single 1-g dose of azithromycin or ciprofloxacin.
  • Clinical and bacteriologic success were primary outcome measures, assessed over a five-day hospitalization period.

Main Results:

  • Azithromycin achieved significantly higher clinical success (73%) compared to ciprofloxacin (27%) (P<0.001).
  • Bacteriologic success was also significantly higher with azithromycin (78%) versus ciprofloxacin (10%) (P<0.001).
  • Azithromycin treatment resulted in shorter diarrhea duration, less vomiting, fewer stools, and lower stool volume.

Conclusions:

  • Single-dose azithromycin is effective for treating severe cholera in adults.
  • The diminished efficacy of ciprofloxacin may be due to reduced activity against current Vibrio cholerae O1 strains in Bangladesh.
Abstract

More Related Videos

Reduced Itraconazole Concentration and Durations Are Successful in Treating Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis Infection in Amphibians06:49

Reduced Itraconazole Concentration and Durations Are Successful in Treating Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis Infection in Amphibians

Published on: March 14, 2014

Quantifying Vibrio cholerae Colonization and Diarrhea in the Adult Zebrafish Model08:03

Quantifying Vibrio cholerae Colonization and Diarrhea in the Adult Zebrafish Model

Published on: July 12, 2018

Related Concept Videos

Treating Helicobacter pylori in Peptic Ulcers: Antimicrobial Therapy01:16

Treating Helicobacter pylori in Peptic Ulcers: Antimicrobial Therapy

Helicobacter pylori, a resilient gram-negative bacterium, can thrive in the stomach's harsh, acidic environment. Infection with H. pylori leads to a cascade of events within the stomach lining. One of the critical disruptions caused by this bacterium is the interference with somatostatin production, a hormone responsible for regulating acid secretion. This interference tips the balance, escalating acid secretion and diminishing bicarbonate levels. This imbalance compromises the defensive...
Drugs Affecting GI Tract Motility: Antimicrobials as Antidiarrheal Agents01:18

Drugs Affecting GI Tract Motility: Antimicrobials as Antidiarrheal Agents

Acute diarrhea, a common gastrointestinal disturbance, is characterized by the rapid evacuation of fluid stools, leading to an excessive weight in fluid. This condition typically arises from disorders affecting intestinal water and electrolyte transport. It can be triggered by an increased osmotic load within the intestine, excessive secretion of electrolytes and water, mucosal exudation of protein and fluid, or altered intestinal motility. The primary risks of acute diarrhea are dehydration...
Drugs for Treatment of Diarrhea-Predominant IBS01:17

Drugs for Treatment of Diarrhea-Predominant IBS

Diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D) is a subtype of IBS characterized primarily by frequent, loose, or watery stools, abdominal pain, and abdominal discomfort. Therapeutic approaches to managing IBS-D include dietary changes, stress management techniques, and pharmaceutical interventions.
Two specific drugs used in the treatment are alosetron (Lotronex) and eluxadoline (Viberzi). Alosetron, a 5-HT3 antagonist, works by slowing the movement of stools in the gut, reducing bowel...
Drugs for Treatment of Ulcerative Colitis in IBD01:29

Drugs for Treatment of Ulcerative Colitis in IBD

Ulcerative colitis is a chronic inflammatory condition primarily affecting the colon and rectum. The primary drugs used in the treatment of ulcerative colitis are aminosalicylates. They exhibit anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive properties. They modulate inflammatory mediators and inhibit the activity of nuclear factor κB (NF-κB). Aminosalicylates also reduce inflammation by inhibiting prostaglandin and leukotriene production and decreasing neutrophil chemotaxis and superoxide generation. 
Dosage Regimen: Multiple Oral Dosage01:25

Dosage Regimen: Multiple Oral Dosage

Understanding how a drug's concentration fluctuates within the body over time is crucial in pharmacokinetics, particularly with multiple oral doses. A graphical representation of multiple oral dosages provides insight into these dynamics. Typical accumulation curves of a drug's concentration in the body reveal a sawtooth pattern, indicating periodic peaks and troughs correlating with each dose administration and the drug's subsequent elimination.The plasma concentration at any time during an...
Cholera01:25

Cholera

Cholera is an acute gastrointestinal disease caused by the Gram-negative bacterium Vibrio cholerae. It is transmitted primarily via the fecal-oral route through the ingestion of contaminated water or food.Vibrio cholerae is a motile, Gram-negative bacterium of the family Vibrionaceae, primarily associated with waterborne outbreaks in areas with inadequate sanitation. Although over 200 serogroups of V. cholerae exist, only O1 and O139 are responsible for epidemic cholera. The O1 serogroup,...