Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0043167 (pertussis)
 19,595 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

We assessed the quality of evidence for the use of erythromycin in preventing secondary transmission of pertussis to close contacts of primary cases. A literature search was undertaken and identified papers were reviewed critically. Thirteen original papers and 1 manuscript met the inclusion criteria for review (3 randomized controlled trials, 4 analytical studies and 7 descriptive studies). Evidence from both experimental and analytical studies showed little effect of the use of erythromycin in preventing secondary transmission. Its effect is at best modest when compared with the protection conferred by use of good quality whole cell vaccine. Three studies reported adverse events with erythromycin prophylaxis; these were mainly nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. In countries where effective pertussis vaccines are in use, erythromycin use should be confined to close contacts of cases, particularly unimmunized children or partially immunized infants who would be most susceptible to the complications of pertussis, or adults who come into close contact with vulnerable children.
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PMID:Review of the evidence for the use of erythromycin in the management of persons exposed to pertussis. 959 83

Pertussis, once a serious respiratory disease in children, has recently been identified as a common cause of chronic cough in adults. Military personnel are known to be vulnerable to this disease. After a training barracks exposure to pertussis, routine arrangements for contact prophylaxis with erythromycin failed. This experience is reported here as well as that of our subsequent aggressive attempts using directly observed prophylaxis (DOP) with standard erythromycin regimens. No secondary cases occurred. However, many contacts (35%) could not finish a 14-day course despite DOP, mostly because of nausea (85%) or diarrhea (72%). Seventeen (18%) soldiers missed classes because of erythromycin side effects; five required emergency department visits or hospital admission for the same. Sixteen (17%) soldiers were switched to azithromycin because of side effects; all were able to complete a 14-day course without symptoms. High adherence rates with erythromycin administration using DOP are attainable but may trigger unacceptable toxicities; alternative prophylactic regimens should be considered for active duty personnel.
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PMID:Experience with directly observed prophylaxis using erythromycin in military trainees exposed to pertussis. 1528 68