title: Efficacy of topical antibiotic therapy in acute conjunctivitis in children.
abstract: We studied 102 children aged 1 month to 18 years in a randomized, double-blind trial designed to determine both the natural history of bacterial conjunctivitis and whether topical antibiotic therapy is beneficial. Affected eyes were treated four times a day for 7 days with drug (polymyxin-bacitracin ophthalmic ointment) or placebo. Eighty-four patients had proved bacterial conjunctivitis (Haemophilus influenzae 61, Streptococcus pneumoniae 22, both one); 66 of these received only topical therapy. By 3 to 5 days, 21 of 34 (62%) patients receiving topical antibiotic were clinically cured, whereas only nine of 32 (28%) patients given placebo were cured (P less than 0.02). By 8 to 10 days, 31 (91%) of the patients given antibiotic and 23 (72%) of the placebo group were cured (P = NS). The bacterial pathogen was eradicated by day 3 to 5 in 71% and by day 8 to 10 in 79% of patients given antibiotic, compared to 19% and 31% of the placebo group (P less than 0.001). Acute bacterial conjunctivitis is a self-limited disease, but topical antibiotic therapy with polymyxin-bacitracin shortens the duration of clinical disease and enhances eradication of the causative organism from the conjunctiva.
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000284:Administration, Oral; D000287:Administration, Topical; D000293:Adolescent; D001414:Bacitracin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003231:Conjunctivitis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D006192:Haemophilus Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006193:Haemophilus influenzae; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D010919:Placebos; D011008:Pneumococcal Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011113:Polymyxins / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D010919:Placebos; D011113:Polymyxins; D001414:Bacitracin