Comparative trial of doxycycline plus streptomycin versus doxycycline plus rifampin for the therapy of human brucellosis

Chemotherapy. 1989;35(2):146-52. doi: 10.1159/000238662.

Abstract

Effectiveness and therapeutic value of the doxycycline plus streptomycin and doxycycline plus rifampin schedules of treatment of human brucellosis have been assessed by carrying out a prospective study on 111 patients randomly distributed into two groups. Patients in group A were treated with doxycycline plus streptomycin sulphate and those in group B with doxycycline plus rifampin. The temperature of all patients reverted to normal, and 54 patients from group A (91.6%) and 45 from group B (86.5%) achieved total recovery with a single therapeutic cycle. Two therapeutic failures and 3 relapses in group A (8.4%) and 7 relapses in group B (13.46%) were observed. The tolerance to both regimens was good. Although the combination doxycycline plus rifampin offers a more convenient oral administration, in the light of these results, until more extensive research is carried out, it should be considered as an alternative rather than a first choice in the treatment of human brucellosis.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Comparative Study
  • Randomized Controlled Trial

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Brucellosis / blood
  • Brucellosis / drug therapy*
  • Brucellosis / immunology
  • Doxycycline / administration & dosage
  • Doxycycline / therapeutic use*
  • Drug Therapy, Combination
  • Female
  • Fluorescent Antibody Technique
  • Humans
  • Immunoglobulins / analysis
  • Male
  • Rifampin / administration & dosage
  • Rifampin / therapeutic use*
  • Streptomycin / administration & dosage
  • Streptomycin / therapeutic use*

Substances

  • Immunoglobulins
  • Doxycycline
  • Rifampin
  • Streptomycin