Related Experiment Videos
Azithromycin for ocular toxoplasmosis
A Rothova1, L E Bosch-Driessen, N H van Loon
1Department of Ophthalmology, FC Donders Institute, Academic Hospital Utrecht, Netherlands.
Aims:
To investigate the efficacy of azithromycin in patients with ocular toxoplasmosis.
Methods:
11 immunocompetent patients with ocular toxoplasmosis were treated with azithromycin (500 mg the first day, followed by 250 mg/day for 5 weeks). Ocular and systemic examinations were performed during active retinitis episodes and all patients were followed for at least 1 year.
Results:
The intraocular inflammation disappeared within 4 weeks in seven patients, including two cases with progressive retinitis despite previous treatment with pyrimethamine, sulphadiazine, and folinic acid. Recurrence of retinitis occurred in three patients (27%) within the first year of follow up. No systemic side effects of azithromycin were encountered.
Conclusion:
These results indicate that although azithromycin cannot prevent recurrent disease it may be an effective alternative for patients with ocular toxoplasmosis who cannot tolerate standard therapies.