Spiramycin vs. placebo for treatment of acute diarrhea caused by Cryptosporidium.

Abstract

The efficacy of spiramycin was evaluated in a double blind, placebo-controlled study of 44 immunocompetent infants ages 2 to 13 months who had acute diarrhea caused by Cryptosporidium. Twenty-one patients received spiramycin (100 mg/kg/day) for 10 days and 23 received placebo. On admission the patients in both groups were comparable regarding demographic and clinical characteristics. The infants who were treated with spiramycin had a shorter duration of diarrhea (mean, 5.2 vs. 7.3 days; P = 0.002) and a shorter duration of excretion of oocysts in the stools (7.1 vs. 8.5 days; P = 0.032) compared with those treated with placebo. No clinical or parasitologic relapses were seen in patients of both groups. Mild adverse effects to spiramycin were observed in 2 patients (10%). Spiramycin appeared to hasten clinical recovery and decrease the duration of oocyst excretion in immunocompetent children with diarrheal illness caused by Cryptosporidium.

• Authors: X Sáez-Llorens, C M Odio, M A Umaña, M V Morales
• Journal: The Pediatric infectious disease journal (Pediatr Infect Dis J) Vol. 8 Issue 3 Pg. 136-40 (Mar 1989) ISSN: 0891-3668 [Print] United States
• PMID: 2652084 (Publication Type: Clinical Trial, Controlled Clinical Trial, Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Leucomycins

Topics

• Animals
• Clinical Trials as Topic
• Cryptosporidiosis (drug therapy)
• Cryptosporidium (drug effects)
• Diarrhea, Infantile (drug therapy)
• Double-Blind Method
• Female
• Humans
• Infant
• Leucomycins (therapeutic use)
• Male
• Prospective Studies
• Random Allocation