Efficacy of azithromycin in the treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis

• Main Authors: Prata Aluízio, Silva-Vergara Mario Léon, Costa Laércio, Rocha Ademir, Krolewiecki Alejandro, Silva Jaime Costa, Paula Edvá Vieira de, Pimenta Junior Fabiano Geraldo, Giraldo Luiz Eduardo Ramirez
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical (SBMT) 2003
• Subjects: Cutaneous leishmaniasis; Azithromycin; Leishmania Viannia brasiliensis; Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine; RC955-962; Arctic
• Online Access: https://doaj.org/article/1d69ff045ff64eff95ef914e3a64ae0f

The present open pilot study was conducted to assess the efficacy of azithromycin for the treatment of patients with cutaneous leishmaniasis in Araçuaí and Varzelândia, MG. Twenty-four patients with less of six months of disease evolution were treated after clinical examination, Montenegro test and a biopsy. The treatment schemes consisted of oral doses of 500 mg per day for 3, 5 and 10 days and of 1000 mg for two days. A clinical control was performed monthly and treatment cycles were repeated when necessary until full reepithelialization of the lesions. On the occasion of the final evaluation, 20 patients had completed the study and 17 of them (85%) were cured. The time to obtain a cure was 60 days ifor 6 (30%) patients, 90 days for 7 (35%), and 120 for 4 (20%). The three patients with treatment failure received a pentavalent antimonial for 20 days. No adverse reactions to the medication were observed and a 14 month follow-up did not show recurrence in any patient. These results suggest that azithromycin can be a good therapeutic option for the treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis caused by Leishmania Viannia brasiliensis.