Comparative efficacy of ceftriaxone and rifampicin in eradicating pharyngeal carriage of group A Neisseria meningitidis.
During an outbreak of meningococcal meningitis in Saudi Arabia, oral rifampicin (four doses in two days) was compared with a single intramuscular dose of ceftriaxone for prophylaxis in family contacts of patients with meningococcal disease. Pharyngeal samples were taken for culture before and 1 and 2 weeks after administration. Both follow-up cultures indicated that ceftriaxone was significantly more effective. At 1 week the eradication rates for ceftriaxone and rifampicin were 97% and 75%; at 2 weeks they were 97% and 81%, respectively. No serious side-effects were associated with either agent. Ceftriaxone may provide an effective alternative to rifampicin for prophylaxis in meningococcal contacts.
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002353:Carrier State / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002443:Ceftriaxone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D004341:Drug Evaluation; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007273:Injections, Intramuscular; D008297:Male; D008585:Meningitis, Meningococcal / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D009345:Neisseria meningitidis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D009960:Oropharynx / Q000382:microbiology*; D011897:Random Allocation; D012008:Recurrence; D012293:Rifampin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012529:Saudi Arabia
D002443:Ceftriaxone; D012293:Rifampin