title: Treatment of human brucellosis with rifampin plus minocycline.
abstract: In order to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of a high intravenous dose of rifampin plus oral minocycline (administered daily for 3 weeks) for the treatment of acute brucellosis, we retrospectively reviewed the outcome of 239 consecutive patients (135 adults and 104 children) diagnosed and treated over a 17-year period in Italy. The combination used resulted in 100% response and a relapse rate lower than 2%. Fifty-two (30 adults and 22 children) (29.8%) complained of mild adverse effects including an increase in aspartate aminotransferase (>250 IU) observed in 12 cases and considered related to rifampin and in 11 cases a reversible hyperpigmentation of the tongue attributed to minocycline. A randomized prospective comparative study should be performed to confirm our encouraging results.
authors.affiliation: AILMI (Associazione Italiana per la Lotta contro le Malattie Infettive) c/o Scuola di Specializzazione in Malattie Infettive Università di Messina, Via Consolare Valeria n.1, 98125 Messina, Italy. acascio@unime.it
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cascio
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Scarlata
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Giordano
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Antinori
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Colomba
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Titone
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002002:Brucella / Q000145:classification / Q000187:drug effects*; D002006:Brucellosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008911:Minocycline / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D012008:Recurrence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012293:Rifampin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D008911:Minocycline; D012293:Rifampin