Related Experiment Video

Updated: Sep 12, 2025

Breast Milk Enhances Growth of Enteroids: An Ex Vivo Model of Cell Proliferation
09:02

Breast Milk Enhances Growth of Enteroids: An Ex Vivo Model of Cell Proliferation

Published on: February 15, 2018

19.5K

Azithromycin for infants at risk of poor growth and development: A pooled secondary analysis of two randomized

Mamadou Bountogo1, Mamadou Ouattara1, Clarisse Dah1

  • 1Centre de Recherche en Santé de Nouna, Burkina Faso.

Plos One
|August 8, 2025
PubMed

Insights

A single dose of azithromycin did not reduce mortality or wasting in infants at risk of poor growth. This study evaluated azithromycin

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Global Health

Background:

  • The World Health Organization (WHO) revised severe acute malnutrition (SAM) guidelines in 2023, emphasizing infants at risk of poor growth.
  • Routine antibiotic use for these infants is a priority research area for improving infant outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess the impact of azithromycin on infant mortality and wasting.
  • To evaluate azithromycin's effectiveness in preventing poor growth outcomes in high-risk infants.

Main Methods:

  • Pooled data from two randomized controlled trials in Burkina Faso involving 54,709 infants aged 1-12 weeks.
  • Infants identified as at-risk based on WHO criteria (low weight-for-age, weight-for-length, or MUAC) received a single oral dose of azithromycin or placebo.
  • Outcomes including mortality, underweight, wasting, and stunting were assessed at 6 months of age.

Main Results:

  • A total of 9,728 infants met the criteria for being at risk of poor growth.
  • No significant difference in mortality (1.3% vs. 1.1%) or wasting (20.6% vs. 20.2%) was observed at 6 months between the azithromycin and placebo groups.
  • Statistical analysis showed no evidence of benefit from azithromycin in this subgroup.

Conclusions:

  • Single-dose azithromycin administered to infants aged 1-12 weeks at risk of poor growth does not reduce mortality.
  • Azithromycin did not demonstrate improved growth outcomes, such as reduced wasting, in this vulnerable infant population.
Abstract

More Related Videos

High Throughput, Real-time, Dual-readout Testing of Intracellular Antimicrobial Activity and Eukaryotic Cell Cytotoxicity09:09

High Throughput, Real-time, Dual-readout Testing of Intracellular Antimicrobial Activity and Eukaryotic Cell Cytotoxicity

Published on: November 16, 2016

8.0K
Using Mycobacterium smegmatis as a Bioindicator for Zinc-Limited Growth Conditions in Mycobacteria08:24

Using Mycobacterium smegmatis as a Bioindicator for Zinc-Limited Growth Conditions in Mycobacteria

Published on: September 20, 2024

570

Related Concept Videos

Factors Affecting Drug Response: Overview01:21

Factors Affecting Drug Response: Overview

When it comes to infants and young children, they are typically administered smaller doses of medication in comparison to adults. This is primarily because their organ functions still need to fully develop, meaning their bodies are not as efficient at metabolizing or eliminating drugs. Additionally, their blood-brain barrier is more permeable than in adults. As a result, high concentrations of drugs can easily penetrate the central nervous system (CNS), potentially leading to neurological...
2.4K
Teratogenicity01:07

Teratogenicity

The ability of a drug to produce structural deformations and functional abnormalities in the developing embryo or the fetus is called teratogenicity, and the drug producing this effect is known as a teratogen. Teratogenic effects include stillbirth, miscarriage, intrauterine growth restriction, and neurocognitive delay. A teratogen may affect the embryo at different stages of development, which is important in determining the type and extent of the damage. During blastocyst formation, the early...
2.8K
Upper Respiratory Drugs: Antitussives, Expectorants, and Mucolytics01:23

Upper Respiratory Drugs: Antitussives, Expectorants, and Mucolytics

Respiratory symptoms, such as congestion and cough, commonly accompany respiratory tract conditions. Various medications, such as antitussives, expectorants, and mucolytics, play crucial roles in providing relief.
Antitussives include codeine, dextromethorphan (Robitussin), and benzonatate (Tessalon). Codeine and dextromethorphan exert their effects centrally by suppressing the cough reflex center in the medulla.  Benzonatate operates peripherally within the respiratory tract by...
432
Regression Toward the Mean01:52

Regression Toward the Mean

Regression toward the mean (“RTM”) is a phenomenon in which extremely high or low values—for example, and individual’s blood pressure at a particular moment—appear closer to a group’s average upon remeasuring. Although this statistical peculiarity is the result of random error and chance, it has been problematic across various medical, scientific, financial and psychological applications. In particular, RTM, if not taken into account, can interfere when...
6.5K
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...
203
Development of Immunocompetence01:22

Development of Immunocompetence

The initiation of cell-mediated immunity can be observed as early as the third month of fetal growth, with active antibody-mediated immunity following approximately one month later.
The initial cells that migrate from the fetal thymus settle within the skin and epithelial tissues lining the mouth, digestive tract, and in females, the uterus and vagina. These cells, including skin-based dendritic cells, serve as antigen-presenting cells, playing a key role in T cell activation.
Subsequent T...
448