[Therapeutic efficacy of azithromycin in pediatrics].

Azithromycin (AZM), a newly developed azalide antibiotic, was administered at a standard dose of 10 mg/kg once daily for 3 days to pediatric patients with bacterial infections and the therapeutic efficacy of AZM was investigated. 1. A total of 12 patients with the following diseases was evaluated: pharyngitis in two, tonsillitis in four, bronchitis in one, Mycoplasma pneumonia in one, scarlet fever in two and enteritis in two. The drug was rated "excellent" in eight cases and "good" in four. 2. Eleven strains were isolated from patients: five strains of Streptococcus pyogenes, four strains of Haemophilus influenzae, and two strains of Haemophilus parainfluenzae. Isolated bacteria were eradicated in eight strains and persisting in one, resulting in 88.9% in eradication rate. No follow-up examinations in post-treatment were performed in two cases. 3. No adverse reaction was reported, while one case of eosinophilia was noted as an abnormal laboratory test value. 4. As far as compliance is concerned, patients claimed that the formulation of the drug is "easy to take" or "ordinary". With the results presented as above, we have concluded that AZM is a useful antibiotic in pediatric patients with bacterial infections.