A randomized comparison of oral chloramphenicol versus ofloxacin in the treatment of uncomplicated typhoid fever in Laos.

We conducted a randomized open trial of oral chloramphenicol (50mg/kg/day in four divided doses for 14 days) versus ofloxacin (15 mg/kg/day in two divided doses for 3 days) in 50 adults with culture-confirmed uncomplicated typhoid fever in Vientiane, Laos. Patients had been ill for a median (range) of 8 (2-30) days. All Salmonella enterica serotype typhi isolates were nalidixic acid-sensitive, four (8%) were chloramphenicol-resistant and three (6%) were multidrug-resistant. Median (range) fever clearance times were 90 (24-224) hours in the chloramphenicol group and 54 (6-93) hours in the ofloxacin group (P<0.001). One patient in the chloramphenicol group developed an ileal perforation. Three days ofloxacin was more effective than 14 days chloramphenicol for the in-patient treatment of typhoid fever, irrespective of antibiotic susceptibility, and was of similar cost.

Trends in ophthalmic antimicrobial utilization pattern in Bahrain between 1993 and 2000: a resurgence of chloramphenicol?

OBJECTIVES: The occurrence of aplastic anemia following topical administration of ophthalmic chloramphenicol is controversial and debated internationally. We have determined the influence of such debate on the utilization of ophthalmic chloramphenicol in Bahrain, through studying the utilization patterns of ophthalmic antimicrobial preparations by the Ministry of Health, with an emphasis on chloramphenicol, between 1993 and 2000. Cost-implications of these patterns are examined. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Information on the annual purchase of ophthalmic antimicrobial drug preparations and their unit price was obtained from the Directorate of Materials Management, Ministry of Health, and analyzed. RESULTS: In 1993, the 3 most commonly purchased ophthalmic antibacterial preparations were oxytetracycline 1% eye ointment (40.1%); sulfacetamide 10% and 20% eye drops (25.3%); and chloramphenicol 0.5% eye drops and 1% eye ointment (10.8%). In 2000, oxytetracycline remained the most frequently purchased preparation (33%), followed by chloramphenicol (21.2%). Between 1993 and 1999, chloramphenicol purchases fluctuated between 10% to 16.4% with a remarkable increase to 21.2%, in 2000. Chloramphenicol accounted for 8.6% and 15.1% of cost of total ophthalmic preparations purchased in 1993 and 2000, respectively. CONCLUSION: Despite continued concerns of potential risks of ophthalmic chloramphenicol, this preparation is extensively utilized in Bahrain. We are of the opinion that for minor infections, chloramphenicol ophthalmic preparations should be replaced by safer alternatives. Further, we recommend that their use be reserved for ocular infections that are resistant to other antimicrobials, and that ophthalmologists, at the secondary care level, should supervise such treatment.

Comparative review of topical ophthalmic antibacterial preparations.

The choice of an antibacterial is based on considerations of pharmacodynamic, pharmacokinetic and bacteriological characteristics, risk of selecting resistant mutants, and cost. In this article we review 16 commercially available ophthalmic antibacterial preparations. Fusidic acid and bacitracin are selective for gram-positive bacteria whereas polymyxin B targets gram-negative species. Aminoglycosides and quinolones are broad spectrum antibacterials. The widespread use of an antibacterial increases risks of selecting resistance to it. Acquired resistance is well documented for fusidic acid and rifamycin, and newly described for quinolones. The bioavailability of an antibacterial agent depends on the target bacterial species, the site of infection and the integrity of the haemato-aqueous barrier. Some agents (fusidic acid, quinolones) penetrate the cornea, passing into the anterior chamber of normal eyes at therapeutic concentrations, whereas others (polymixin B, bacitracin) have no penetrating powers and remain at the surface of the eye. Toxicity is mostly manifested by allergic reactions to excipients or active ingredients in topical antibacterial preparations. A few cases of haematological toxicity have brought suspicion on topical chloramphenicol, but the link has yet to be proven. Erythromycin and polymyxin B are probably okay to use as topical applications in pregnant women and nursing mothers. Costs of treatment must be evaluated as a whole (regimen, drug associations). Prices for a bottle of eyedrops may vary 3-fold. The cheapest drugs include chloramphenicol, polymyxin B and gentamicin, the most expensive being fusidic acid and the quinolones.

Ophthalmic chloramphenicol: a review of the literature.

The safety of ophthalmic chloramphenicol has been under review in the UK since 1995, when a letter in the British Medical Journal suggested that its use should be discontinued. The writers consult a wide range of American, European and British research from 1950 to the present to reassure readers that ophthalmic chloramphenicol is a demonstrably effective, safe, cost-effective treatment for most superficial eye infections. They advise colleagues to consider any changes in the provision of antibiotic treatment for ophthalmic conditions carefully, as significant changes in practice may incur cost penalties on departmental or practice drug budgets, and may increase the likelihood of treatment failure which could result in patients having to pay second prescription charges. The requirement for nursing practice to be fully accountable, particularly when nurses are supplying drugs using Trust protocols, is emphasized. The article makes explicit the need for nursing practice to be well considered and based on current, credible research, and offers guidelines for nursing practice when ophthalmic chloramphenicol is supplied under protocol.

Chloramphenicol and ciprofloxacin in enteric fever--cost-effectiveness.

Clinical decision analysis is a technique which is used to deal with uncertainities in clinical medicine. We used this technique to compare the cost-effectiveness of chloramphenicol and ciprofloxacin in the treatment of enteric fever. The study shows that the most economical alternative can be predicted if the cost of hospital stay and the sensitivity of the organism to chloramphenicol are known. Thus if the hospital costs are Rs 50/- per day, chloramphenicol will be the drug of choice if more than 52% of the organisms are sensitive to the drug. At lower levels of sensitivity to chloramphenicol, ciprofloxacin will be the drug of choice.