Efficacy and safety of clarithromycin as treatment for Mediterranean spotted fever in children: a randomized controlled trial.
Fifty-one children with Mediterranean spotted fever (MSF) were randomized to receive either clarithromycin, 15 mg/kg/day orally in 2 divided doses, or chloramphenicol, 50 mg/kg/day orally in 4 divided doses, for 7 days. Mean time to defervescence was 36.7 h in the clarithromycin group and 47.1 h in the chloramphenicol group (P=.047). Clarithromycin could be an acceptable therapeutic alternative to chloramphenicol and to tetracyclines for children aged <8 years with MSF.
Cascio
A
A
Istituto di Patologia Infettiva e Virologia, Ospedale G. Di Cristina, Università di Palermo, Palermo, Italy. acascio@unime.it
Colomba
C
C
Di Rosa
D
D
Salsa
L
L
di Martino
L
L
Titone
L
L
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001907:Boutonneuse Fever / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002701:Chloramphenicol / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017291:Clarithromycin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D002701:Chloramphenicol; D017291:Clarithromycin