AZITHROMYCIN FOR TREATMENT OF COMMUNITY-ACQUIRED PNEUMONIA CAUSED BY LEGIONELLA-PNEUMOPHILA - A RETROSPECTIVE STUDY

A clinical, retrospective and non-comparative study was undertaken to assess the clinical efficacy and tolerability of azithromycin in the t reatment of community-acquired pneumonia caused by Legionella pneumoph ila, A total of 16 patients with a serologically confirmed diagnosis o f Legionnaires' diseases were included. Azithromycin was administered orally at a total dose of 1.5 g for either 3 or 5 days. All patients w ere successfully cured; 15 patients became afebrile within 48 h and 1 patient within 96 h after the start of therapy, There were no side-eff ects requiring discontinuation of the treatment, Further increase of a bnormal baseline liver function was recorded in 2 patients and in 1 pa tient mild, transient eosinophilia. Equal clinical efficacy and tolera bility were observed with the 3- and 5-day dosage regimen, These resul ts indicate that azithromycin given at a standard dose of 1.5 g is eff ective and well tolerated in the treatment of Legionnaires' disease.