CONTEXT An outbreak of Shiga toxin-producing enteroaggregative Escherichia coli (STEC O104:H4) infection with a high incidence of hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) occurred in Germany in May 2011. Antibiotic treatment of STEC infection is discouraged because it might increase the risk of HUS development. However, antibiotic therapy is widely used to treat enteroaggregative E coli infection. In th...

An in vitro cell culture model was used to investigate the long-term effects of azithromycin, rifampin, and the combination of azithromycin and rifampin on Chlamydia trachomatis infection. Although standard in vitro susceptibility testing indicated efficient inhibition by azithromycin, prolonged treatment did not reveal a clear elimination of chlamydia from host cells. Chlamydia were temporaril...

BACKGROUND Cyclosporin A (CsA) induces gingival overgrowth (GO) in up to a quarter of CsA-treated renal transplant recipients. A short-term therapy with azithromycin effectively reduces GO, indicating a possible involvement of microorganisms in the pathogenesis of CsA-induced GO. We aimed to determine if there could be any relationship between infection with Chlamydia pneumoniae and GO pathogen...

AIMS To investigate the effectiveness of long term, low dose azithromycin treatment for chronic cryptosporidiosis in patients with AIDS. METHODS Azithromycin was administered as initial daily treatment to 13 patients with AIDS: 6 patients received 500 mg for 30 to 40 days (mean 35); 3 patients received 1000 mg for 21 to 50 days (mean 37); and 4 patients received 1500 mg for 20 days. Nine of t...

BACKGROUND Viral bronchiolitis is the leading cause of hospitalization in young infants. It is associated with the development of childhood asthma and contributes to morbidity and mortality in the elderly. Currently no therapies effectively attenuate inflammation during the acute viral infection, or prevent the risk of post-viral asthma. We hypothesized that early treatment of a paramyxoviral b...

Although the long-term administrations of macrolide antibiotics are effective for diffuse panbronchiolitis, otitis media with effusion (OME), and some other diseases, their mechanism of action has not been fully understood. In order to elucidate the mechanisms of possible effects of macrolide antibiotics on activities of erythrocyte nitric oxide synthase (NOS), xanthine oxidase (XO), and malond...

OBJECTIVE We aimed to assess the role of procalcitonin (PCT) to guide the initial selection of the antibiotic regimen for low-risk community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). METHODS A single-arm clinical trial was conducted including outpatients with CAP and Pneumonia Severity Index risk classes I-II. Antimicrobial selection was based on the results of PCT measured with a rapid point-of-care testing...

BACKGROUND The Brazilian consensus recommends a short-term treatment course with clarithromycin, amoxicillin and proton-pump inhibitor for the eradication of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori). This treatment course has good efficacy, but cannot be afforded by a large part of the population. Azithromycin, amoxicillin and omeprazole are subsidized, for several aims, by the Brazilian federal governm...

Azithromycin has been studied as potential therapeutic anti-inflammatory agent for cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. Azithromycin (AZM) has been used as an immunomodulating agent, based on few small studies. Considering the cost and potential side effects of long-term azithromycin therapy, it is important to identify the group of patients that would benefit the most. Weighted mean difference was u...

OBJECTIVES To evaluate the efficacy and safety of macrolides in cystic fibrosis (CF). METHODS Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of macrolides for the treatment of CF published in PubMed, the Cochrane Library and Embase were searched. Application of inclusion and exclusion criteria, data extraction, and assessment of methodological quality were independently performed in duplicate. The prima...