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Pyrimethamine plus azithromycin for treatment of acute toxoplasmic encephalitis in patients with AIDS

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Abstract

A prospective study was conducted to evaluate azithromycin in combination with pyrimethamine for treatment of acuteToxoplasma encephalitis in patients with AIDS. Of the 14 patients given 75 mg pyrimethamine and 500 mg azithromycin daily for four weeks, eight were evaluable for clinical response. Five responded favorably, one had an intermediate response and two an unfavorable response. Of the nine patients evaluable for radiological response, six responded favorably, and three had an intermediate response. Eleven adverse events occurred in nine patients: rash (n=5), abnormal liver function (n=2), vomiting (n=3) and hypoacousia (n=1). This pilot study suggests that the combination of pyrimethamine and azithromycin may be further investigated and that the optimal dosage of azithromycin has yet to be determined.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Service de Maladies Infectieuses et Tropicales, CHU Bichat-Claude Bernard, 46 rue Henri Huchard, 75018, Paris, France

    J. Saba, C. Leport & J. L. Vildé

  2. Service de Médecine Interne, CHU Bichat-Claude Bernard, 46 rue Henri Huchard, 75018, Paris, France

    V. Joly

  3. Clinique Médicale et des Maladies Infectieuses, CHU Bordeaux Hôpital Pellegrin, Place Amélie Raba Léon, 33076, Bordeaux, France

    P. Morlat

  4. Service de Médecine Interne, CHU Nantes, Hôtel Dieu, Place Alexis Ricordeau, 44035, Nantes Cédex 01, France

    F. Raffi

  5. Service de Radiologie, CHU Cochin, 27 rue du Faubourg St. Jacques, 75014, Paris, France

    V. Hazebroucq

Authors
  1. J. Saba
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  2. P. Morlat
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  3. F. Raffi
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  4. V. Hazebroucq
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  5. V. Joly
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  6. C. Leport
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  7. J. L. Vildé
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Saba, J., Morlat, P., Raffi, F. et al. Pyrimethamine plus azithromycin for treatment of acute toxoplasmic encephalitis in patients with AIDS. Eur. J. Clin. Microbiol. Infect. Dis. 12, 853–856 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02000407

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02000407

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