A new therapy for whooping cough.(Journal Watch Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine)

* The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends a 14-day course of erythromycin for treatment of clinical or laboratory pertussis, but this therapy can cause gastrointestinal disturbances, which may limit adherence. In vitro data have shown that azithromycin has excellent activity against Bordetella pertussis. The high tissue concentrations achieved with this antibiotic make it a reasonable alternative, but without clinical data, many clinicians have been reluctant to prescribe it for whooping cough. In this manufacturer-sponsored, open-label, 5-day, noncomparative trial, researchers tested the efficacy of azithromycin in treating pertussis and pertussis syndrome.

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