The role of azalide antibiotics in the treatment of chlamydia

Azithromycin-induced block of elementary body formation in Chlamydia trachomatis

“…This finding contrasts the effect of the penicillin class of antibiotics on chlamydial growth; these drugs block (19). These observations may explain the apparent success of single-dose therapy in clinical trials of AZI for the eradication of genital chlamydial infections (7,10,18).…”

“…Clinical studies demonstrate that a single dose is sufficient to eradicate genital chlamydial and gonorrheal infections (7,10,18). Recent data suggest that synergism between AZI and phagocytic cells results in enhanced bacterial killing (19).…”

Treatment of Chlamydial Conjunctivitis

“…In pregnant women, nursing mothers, or neonates, TCs are contraindicated and clarithromycin is recom mended. It has recently been reported that a single 1-g dose of oral azithromycin is as effective as standard regi mens of doxycycline, clarithromycin, or sparfloxacin in the treatment of genital chlamydial infections [6,10,11,17] , Effective single-dose therapy with azithromycin will reduce compliance problems.…”

“…Erythromycin has been most commonly used for ocular and genital chlamydial infections, especially of newborns and pregnant women, but is has several disad vantages including instability in gastric acid, gastrointes tinal disturbances, and a short terminal half-life in serum [7], Recently, new derivatives of MLs with more favor able pharmacokinetic characteristics than erythromycin have been developed: roxithromycin [8], clarithromycin [9], and azithromycin [10,11], The MIC values of MLs are a little higher than those of TCs, but clarithromycin has an excellent activity against Chlamydia which is com parable with TCs (table 1).…”