ABSTRACT
Clinical efficacy of azithromycin and erythromycin was compared in an open trial in 32 and 18 patients with acute sinusitis respectively. The following pathogens were isolated: Haemophilus influenzae (29.8 per cent), Streptococcus pneumoniae (19.1 per cent), Staphylococcus aureus (10.6 per cent), Streptococcus faecalis (8.5 per cent) and other microbes (8.5 per cent). Azithromycin was administered in a dose of 500 mg on day 1. During the following 4 days it was administered in a dose of 250 mg. Erythromycin was administered in a dose of 500 mg 4 times a day for 8 to 10 days. 91.2 per cent of the aerobic microflora were sensitive to azitromycin and 85.3 per cent were sensitive to erythromycin. One of 14 strains of H. influenzae proved to be resistant to azithromycin, 3 strains were resistant to erythromycin. Complete recovery was stated in 90.6 per cent of the cases treated with azithromycin and 66.7 per cent of the cases treated with erythromycin.