Azithromycin eye drop as effective against trachoma as oral medication

PARIS — Azithromycin eye drops can be a safer and equally effective alternative to the use of oral azithromycin in the treatment of trachoma, according to a study presented here. The preparation could be particularly beneficial for young children, for whom oral azithromycin is not allowed, the study authors noted.

Isabelle Cochereau, MD, and colleagues conducted a randomized, multicenter study evaluating the efficacy of the azithromycin eye drop T1225 (Laboratoires Thea) in 670 children living in 21 villages in Guinea and six villages in Pakistan. Ages of the children ranged from 1 year to 10 years, and all children had active inflammatory trachoma.

Dr. Cochereau discussed the study results at the French Society of Ophthalmology annual meeting.

The researchers divided the children into three groups. The first group received the T1225 drop twice daily for 2 days and the second group received the drop for 3 days. The third group received a single 20 mg/kg dose of oral azithromycin, Dr. Cochereau said.

At 2 months follow-up, the rate of clinical recovery was 93% in the first group and 96% in the second and third groups. Microbiological recovery was 68% in the first group and more than 80% in the second and third groups, she said.

"A single eye drop administered twice a day for 3 days is sufficient to treat trachoma and is very well tolerated," Dr. Cochereau said.