Therapeutic
action
– Macrolide antibacterial Indications
– Trachoma, conjunctivitis due to
Chlamydia trachomatis
– Cervicitis and urethritis due to Chlamydia trachomatis
(in combination with a treatment for gonorrhoea),donovanosis, chancroid, early syphilis
– Cholera (if the strain
is susceptible), yaws
– Pertussis, pneumonia due to Mycoplasma pneumoniae and
Chlamydophila pneumoniae
– Streptococcal tonsillitis, acute otitis media, in
penicillin-allergic patients only
Presentation
– 250 mg and 500 mg capsules or tablets
– 200 mg/5 ml powder for oral
suspension, to be reconstituted with filtered water
Dosage and duration
–
Trachoma, cholera, cervicitis and urethritis due to C. trachomatis, chancroid,
early syphilis
Child:
20 mg/kg as a single dose (max. 1 g)
Adult: 1 g as a single dose (2 g as a
single dose in early syphilis)
– Yaws
Child and adult: 30 mg/kg as a single dose (max. 2 g)
–
Conjunctivitis due to C. trachomatis
Child:
20 mg/kg once daily for 3 days (max. 1 g/day)
Adult: 1 g once daily for 3 days
– Donovanosis (granuloma inguinale)
Adult:
1 g on D1 then 500 mg/day until healing of lesions
– Pertussis, pneumonia due
to M. pneumoniae and C. pneumoniae
Child:
10 mg/kg once daily for 5 days (max. 500 mg/day)
Adult: 500 mg on D1 then 250
mg from D2 to D5
– Streptococcal tonsillitis, only in penicillin-allergic
patients
Child:
20 mg/kg once daily for 3 days (max. 500 mg/day)
Adult: 500 mg once daily for 3
days
– Acute otitis media, only in penicillin-allergic patients
Child: 10 mg/kg once daily for 3 days (max. 500 mg/day)
Contra-indications, adverse effects, precautions
– Do not administer to
patients with allergy to azithromycin or another macrolide, and to patients
with severe hepatic impairment.
– May cause: gastrointestinal
disturbances, heart rhythm disorders (QT prolongation), allergic reactions sometimes severe. In the event of allergic reaction, stop
treatment immediately.
– Do not administer simultaneously with antacids
(aluminium or magnesium hydroxide, etc.). Administer 2 hours apart.
– Avoid combination with drugs that prolong the
QT interval (amiodarone, chloroquine, co artemether, fluconazole, haloperidol, mefloquine,
moxifloxacin, ondansetron, pentamidine, quinine, etc.).
– Administer with
caution and monitor use in patients taking digoxin (increased digoxin plasma
levels).
– Pregnancy and breast-feeding: no contra-indication
