RESUMEN

During an outbreak of meningococcal meningitis in Saudi Arabia, oral rifampicin (four doses in two days) was compared with a single intramuscular dose of ceftriaxone for prophylaxis in family contacts of patients with meningococcal disease. Pharyngeal samples were taken for culture before and 1 and 2 weeks after administration. Both follow-up cultures indicated that ceftriaxone was significantly more effective. At 1 week the eradication rates for ceftriaxone and rifampicin were 97% and 75%; at 2 weeks they were 97% and 81%, respectively. No serious side-effects were associated with either agent. Ceftriaxone may provide an effective alternative to rifampicin for prophylaxis in meningococcal contacts.

Asunto(s)

Portador Sano/prevención & control , Ceftriaxona/uso terapéutico , Brotes de Enfermedades , Meningitis Meningocócica/prevención & control , Neisseria meningitidis/efectos de los fármacos , Orofaringe/microbiología , Rifampin/uso terapéutico , Administración Oral , Adolescente , Adulto , Portador Sano/epidemiología , Ceftriaxona/administración & dosificación , Ensayos Clínicos como Asunto , Evaluación de Medicamentos , Femenino , Estudios de Seguimiento , Humanos , Inyecciones Intramusculares , Masculino , Meningitis Meningocócica/epidemiología , Meningitis Meningocócica/transmisión , Pruebas de Sensibilidad Microbiana , Neisseria meningitidis/aislamiento & purificación , Distribución Aleatoria , Recurrencia , Rifampin/administración & dosificación , Arabia Saudita