Effect of erythromycin and amoxycillin on Bordetella pertussis in the nasopharynx.
The effectiveness of oral erythromycin and amoxycillin in eradicating Bordetella pertussis from the nasopharynx was compared. Erythromycin in a dosage of 40--50 mg/kg/day was significantly more effective than amoxycillin in a dosage of 25--30 mg/kg/day. The organism did not disappear in three cases receiving a lower dosage of erythromycin. As antibiotic treatment does not affect the clinical course of fully-developed whooping cough, erythromycin is indicated primarily when particularly susceptible individuals are threatened by exposure. In such cases erythromycin should be given as soon as whooping cough is suspected.
D000328:Adult; D000658:Amoxicillin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000667:Ampicillin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D001885:Bordetella Infections / Q000188:drug therapy; D001886:Bordetella pertussis / Q000187:drug effects*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004917:Erythromycin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006192:Haemophilus Infections / Q000188:drug therapy; D006193:Haemophilus influenzae / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D009304:Nasopharyngitis / Q000188:drug therapy; D014917:Whooping Cough / Q000188:drug therapy*
D004917:Erythromycin; D000667:Ampicillin; D000658:Amoxicillin