Short-course norfloxacin and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole treatment of shigellosis and salmonellosis in Egypt.
In a double-blind clinical study, 109 adult Egyptian patients infected with Shigella spp. and 45 infected with Salmonella spp. were randomly assigned to three treatment groups: 1) norfloxacin in a single 800-mg dose, 2) norfloxacin, 400 mg twice a day for three days, and 3) trimethoprim (160 mg)-sulfamethoxazole (800 mg) (TMP-SMX), twice a day for three days. Among Shigella-infected patients, diarrheal symptoms had resolved in 86-97% and bacteriologic failure (repeat positive stool culture) occurred in only two patients five days after the start of the three treatment regimens. Among Salmonella-infected patients, diarrheal symptoms had resolved in 76-82% of patients and bacteriologic failure was common (18-36%) five days after the start of therapy. These data indicate that short-course therapy with either norfloxacin or TMP-SMX can be effectively used to treat shigellosis in adults in developing countries. However, for uncomplicated Salmonella spp. infection, short-course therapy with norfloxacin and TMP-SMX may not lead to a rapid resolution of symptoms or consistently eliminate this enteropathogen.
Bassily
S
S
U.S. Naval Medical Research Unit No. 3, Cairo, Egypt.
Hyams
K C
KC
el-Masry
N A
NA
Farid
Z
Z
Cross
E
E
Bourgeois
A L
AL
Ayad
E
E
Hibbs
R G
RG
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003906:Developing Countries; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004405:Dysentery, Bacillary / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004534:Egypt; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009643:Norfloxacin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012480:Salmonella Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D015662:Trimethoprim, Sulfamethoxazole Drug Combination / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D015662:Trimethoprim, Sulfamethoxazole Drug Combination; D009643:Norfloxacin