The present study was designed to investigate the effects of two different oral
dose levelS of offoxacin in two groups of
drug-resistant cases of enteric fever.
Thirty nine cases were selected from
patients admitted at Benha Fever
Hospital. All of whom had been febrile
for 10-16 days with positive Widal test
and blood cultures for salmonella and not
responding to chloramphenicol,
trimcthoprim - sulfamethozazole and
ampicillin. The 1st. group 21 (patients),
received 600 mg. of offoxacin daily for 8
days while the 2nd. group (18 patients).
received 400 mg. daily for the same
period The age, duration of signs,
symptoms, laboratory results and severity
of illness were not significantly different
in the two groups. Clinical assessments
and laboratory tests were conducted on
each patients before, during and after
termination of treatment. The findings
revealed that all patients in both groups
responded quickly, fever subsided to 37°C
within a mean of 13 day in the 1st.
group and 4.3 days in the 2nd. group. The
bacterial elimination rate was 100% at the
termination of therapy in both groups as
well as after 3 and 5 weeks later. No
relapse occurred and all stool cultures
were negative. Side effects were recorded
in 3 cases (7.6%). Two patients had mild
epigasvic upset (5.1%0 and one patient
had mild skin rash (2%).
In conclusion the data revealed that
ofloxacin is a safe, effective and welltolerated
therapy in the treatment of cases
of enteric fever, especially those caused
by resistant strains, with a quick response
and practically with negligible relapse
rate. Moreover, the findings showed no
proven superiority of the bigger dose
level over the small one.
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