[Treatment of acute pneumopathies in a tropical zone].

This treatment must take into account the high frequency of Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae which represent over 50% of causes of all bacterial pneumopathies, up to 75% in children under 2 years old. Benzyl-penicillin and injectable delayed action penicillin are drugs of choice and early utilisation reduces considerably the mortality. Other possible antibiotics are macrolides because of their wide range of efficacy and low toxicity, and chloramphenicol which is still one of the best drugs against penicillin-resistant Haemophilus influenzae.