EFFICACY AND TOLERABILITY OF CIPROFLOXACIN PROPHYLAXIS IN ADULT HOUSEHOLD CONTACTS OF PATIENTS WITH CHOLERA

We conducted a randomized double-blinded study in Lima, Peru, to asses s the tolerability and efficacy of a single 250-mg dose of ciprofloxac in in preventing diarrhea and Vibrio cholerae O1 infection among house hold contacts of bacteriologically confirmed index cases. Adult househ old contacts with negative baseline stool cultures were included, A to tal of 213 household contacts were evaluable, The study drugs were wel l tolerated in both groups, Ciprofloxacin did not prevent the acquisit ion of V. cholerae O1 infection nor the development of diarrhea. Howev er, in a subgroup of 30 household contacts with positive baseline stoo l cultures a reduction in the bacterial load and a trend toward preven tion of diarrhea were observed among ciprofloxacin recipients. When al l household contacts were evaluated, a trend toward prevention of diar rhea was observed with the prophylactic regimen, Ciprofloxacin failed to prevent V. cholerae O1 infections during a period of low transmissi bility.