A COMPARATIVE-STUDY OF THERAPEUTIC RESPONSE OF PATIENTS WITH CLINICALCHANCROID TO CIPROFLOXACIN, ERYTHROMYCIN, AND COTRIMOXAZOLE

Background and Objectives: Cotrimoxazole has traditionally been used a s first drug for treatment of chancroid in India. With reports of incr easing resistance to the drug, this study was conducted to compare tre atment response of clinical chancroid between ciprofloxacin, 500 mg tw ice daily for 3 days, erythromycin, 500 mg four times daily for 7 days , and double-strength cotrimoxazole (trimethoprim 160 mg + sulfamethox azole 800 mg), twice daily for 7 days. Study Design: Forty-six patient s with a clinical diagnosis of chancroid were randomly divided into 3 groups. Sixteen patients received ciprofloxacin, whereas 15 each recei ved erythromycin and cotrimoxazole, Patients were seen on day 7, 14, a nd if needed day 21, Clinical response was noted in terms of cure, imp rovement, or failure. Results: Excellent response was observed to both ciprofloxacin and erythromycin therapy with cure rates of 93.7% and 9 3.3%, respectively. Improvement was observed in 6.7% cases in both gro ups. There were no failures with either ciprofloxacin or erythromycin. Poor response to cotrimoxazole therapy was observed with 53.3% cure r ates and a high failure rate of 46.7%, Conclusion: Ciprofloxacin and e rythromycin are equally effective in chancroid, Ciprofloxacin is bette r in terms of dosage schedule, duration of treatment, and low cost. Co trimoxazole should be discontinued as drug of choice because of high f ailure rates.