title: Use of norfloxacin to treat chronic typhoid carriers.
abstract: High relapse rates and low tolerability to ampicillin characterize present therapy for carriers of Salmonella typhi. Norfloxacin, a carboxyquinolone with a 90% minimum inhibitory concentration for S. typhi of less than or equal to 0.5 micrograms/mL, is a promising alternative. Carriers of S. typhi were treated in a double-blind trial with either norfloxacin (400 mg) or matching placebo given every 12 h for 28 d. Twelve assessable individuals were treated in each group. After therapy, 11 of 12 individuals treated with norfloxacin had negative stool and bile cultures for S. typhi. All placebo-treated carriers still had positive cultures immediately after therapy. Subsequently, 11 individuals were treated openly with norfloxacin. S. typhi was eradicated in seven of 11. Overall, the eradication rate for 23 individuals treated with norfloxacin was 78%. Eighteen individuals were followed up for one year, and their stool and/or bile cultures remained negative. From our results, norfloxacin is an effective and well-tolerated antimicrobial agent for eradicating the chronic typhoid carrier state.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Medicina Tropical Alexander von Humboldt, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gotuzzo
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Guerra
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Benavente
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Palomino
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Carrillo
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lopera
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Delgado
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Nalin
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sabbaj
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002353:Carrier State / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009643:Norfloxacin / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011897:Random Allocation; D012485:Salmonella typhi / Q000187:drug effects; D014435:Typhoid Fever / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D009643:Norfloxacin