[Treatment of atypical pneumonia with josamycin]

In the present study the clinical efficacy and tolerance of josamycin (1 g every 12 hours) was prospectively evaluated for the empirical therapy of patients below 70 years with community acquired pneumonia of atypical presentation (AP), without respiratory failure, radiological cavitation or risk factors of pharyngeal colonization by gram-negative bacilli. During a 28-month period 168 patients adequate for the study were included. The etiological diagnosis was established in 56 cases (33.3%); in 55 by seroconversion (28 Mycoplasma pneumoniae, 22 Legionella pneumophila, 1 Chlamydia psittaci and 4 Coxiella burnetii) and in only one case by positive blood culture (Streptococcus pneumoniae). The mean duration of therapy was 9 days and that of fever 1.4 days. Five patients (3%) had mild transient gastrointestinal complaints. No patient required a change of therapy. Relapses were not observed in the 45 days of follow up. In conclusion, josamycin (1 g/12 h p.o.) is an effective and well tolerated antibiotic for the therapy of pneumonia by M. pneumoniae or L. pneumophila, and it represents a good empirical treatment of AP in patients below 70 years without risk factors of GNB infection, respiratory failure or radiological cavitation.