[Clinical studies on azithromycin in pediatrics].

Fine granules or capsules of azithromycin (AZM) were given to 32 pediatric patients for the treatment of the following diseases: pharyngitis in three cases; tonsillitis in one; bronchitis in six; pneumonia in six; mycoplasmal pneumonia in 14; pertussis and enteritis in one, each. Effectiveness of AZM was evaluated in 30 cases and the drug was rated "excellent" in 18 patients, "good" in 11 and "fair" in one, resulting in a total efficacy rate of 96.7%. Three strains of bacteria were isolated from 3 patients as the causative organisms including: Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae and Haemophilus parainfluenzae, from three different patients, respectively. One patient complained of mild diarrhea, another patient mild urticaria. Abnormal laboratory test results were reported as follows: one patient showed a slight decrease in leukocyte count, three patients showed slight increases in eosinophils, and one patient had slight elevations in GOT and GPT. The above results suggest that AZM is a useful antibiotic drug in the treatment of pediatric patients with various bacterial infections.