Single-dose tetracycline therapy for shigellosis in adults
L. K. Pickering, H. L. DuPont and J. Olarte
Forty-two adults who had Shigella isolated from stool (26 symptomatic, 16
asymptomatic) received a single oral dose of tetracycline hydrochloride
(2.5 g). Minimal inhibitory concentrations of the 42 isolates demonstrated
that 41% were sensitive to tetracycline. Sixteen of 18 patients with
diarrhea who had tetracycline-resistant Shigella and all eight patients
with diarrhea who had tetracycline-sensitive Shigella were clinical well
and had Shigella-negative stools 48 hours after therapy. Fifteen of 16
asymptomatic patients demonstrated clearing of Shigella from stool within
48 hours of therapy. Single-dose tetracycline therapy is effective in the
treatment of Shigella regardless of clinical expression of illness or in
vitro sensitive of the organism.