Treatment of bacillary dysentery: a comparison between enoxacin and nalidixic acid

A prospective randomized study has been conducted in Rwanda to compare the efficacy of enoxacin versus nalidixic acid for the treatment of bacillary dysentery in adults. Seventeen patients received nalidixic acid and 21 received enoxacin. All isolates (37 shigella, 1 campylobacter) were sensitive in vitro to the two drugs. All patients showed a favourable clinical and bacteriological response and the results obtained with both drugs were comparable. Enoxacin seems to be a good alternative to nalidixic acid for bacillary dysentery due to multiresistant shigella.