title: Doxycycline therapy for leptospirosis.
abstract: To study antibiotic efficacy, 29 patients with leptospirosis were treated in a randomized, double-blinded fashion with doxycycline, 100 mg orally twice a day, or placebo. Therapy was given for 7 days in a hospital, and patients were followed for 3 weeks afterwards. Duration of illness before therapy and severity of illness were the same in both groups. Doxycycline reduced the duration of illness by 2 days and favorably affected fever, malaise, headache, and myalgias. Treatment prevented leptospiruria and had no adverse effects. Doxycycline is effective in therapy for patients with leptospirosis.
mesh_terms: D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004318:Doxycycline / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004341:Drug Evaluation; D006801:Humans; D007922:Leptospirosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008887:Military Medicine; D011897:Random Allocation
chemical_list: D004318:Doxycycline