title: Use of antibiotics in the prevention and treatment of pertussis.
abstract: Antibiotics are commonly used for treating confirmed cases of pertussis and also for disease prevention in outbreak situations, and there is little evidence of antibiotic resistance of Bordetella pertussis. The most commonly used antibiotic is erythromycin, but the associated side effects limit compliance and therefore efficacy. Other antibiotics, such as clarithromycin and azithromycin, have been shown to be at least as effective as erythromycin in preventing and treating pertussis, and they also have fewer side effects, which improves compliance. This article outlines the use of different antibiotics in pertussis management and their effect on preventing disease transmission and reducing disease severity and duration.
authors.affiliation: Institut fur Hygiene und Laboratoriumsmedizin, Klinikum Krefeld, Krefeld, Germany. wvk-hyg@klinikum-krefeld.de
authors.forename: Carl-Heinz Wirsing
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: von König
mesh_terms: D019072:Antibiotic Prophylaxis; D001886:Bordetella pertussis / Q000187:drug effects*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004917:Erythromycin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014917:Whooping Cough / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*
chemical_list: D004917:Erythromycin