Original Articles COMPARATIVE EFFICACY OF FURAZOLIDONE AND NALIDIXIC ACID IN THE EMPIRICAL TREATMENT OF ACUTE INVASIVE DIARRHEA: RANDOMIZED CLINICAL TRIAL

Efficacy of furazolidone and nalidixic acid was compared in a randomized trial involving 72 children with acute invasive diarrhea. Thirty six children received furazolidone (7.5 mg/kg/ day) and 36 children received nalidixic acid (55 mg/kg/day). Clinical characteristics of the two treatment groups were comparable on admission. Of these, 34 children in furazolidone treated group and 29 children in nalidixic acid treated group completed the full course of treatment and were analyzed finally for clinical efficacy. Clinical cure was observed in 29(85.3%) children treated with furazolidone and 29(100.0%) children treated with nalidixic acid. Nalidixic acid treated group had statistically significantly higher cure rate (p=0.039) as Frequent passage of loose stool with macroscopic presence of blood is indicative of acute invasive diarrhea and it may be assumed that the patient is suffering from shigellosis who lives in an endemic area in the developing countries(l). Shigellosis continues to be a major cause of bacterial diarrhea in the world. About 20% of the hospitalized diarrhea patients have shigellosis world wide(2). Since 1969, several epidemics of shigellosis have been reported from different corners of the globe(3) including India(4,5). Following the epidemic of shigellosis in West Bengal in 1984, Calcutta metropolis and suburbs have become an endemic zone for shigellosis(6,7). Clinicians are often compelled to use antimicrobial agent(s) to treat acute invasive diarrhea (shigellosis) patients empirically. World Health Organization compared to fuazolidone treated group. However, 85% cure rate in furazolidone treated group may be potentially useful for the treatment of acute invasive diarrhea becuase of decreasing efficacy of nalidixic acid against shigellosis in many countries.