Short-course doxycycline treatment versus conventional tetracycline therapy for scrub typhus: a multicenter randomized trial.
To assess the clinical efficacy of short-course doxycycline in the treatment of scrub typhus, we compared conventional 7-day tetracycline therapy with 3-day doxycycline therapy in 116 patients. Patients were randomized to receive either tetracycline (500 mg four times daily; n = 50) or doxycycline (100 mg twice daily; n = 66) and were followed for 4 weeks after the completion of treatment. The cure rate was 100% in the tetracycline group and 93.9% in the doxycycline group (P > .05). The two groups did not differ significantly in terms of the interval required for defervescence or for the alleviation of symptoms. There were no relapses in either group. These data suggest that 3-day doxycycline therapy is as effective as conventional 7-day tetracycline therapy for the cure of scrub typhus and the prevention of relapses.
Division of Infectious Diseases, Asan Medical Center, College of Medicine, University of Ulsan, Korea.
J H
JH
Song
C
C
Lee
W H
WH
Chang
S W
SW
Choi
J E
JE
Choi
Y S
YS
Kim
S R
SR
Cho
J
J
Ryu
C H
CH
Pai
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004318:Doxycycline / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012008:Recurrence; D012612:Scrub Typhus / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013752:Tetracycline / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D013752:Tetracycline; D004318:Doxycycline