Azithromycin

Azithromycin

Subject: Science and Technology

Context: A year into the pandemic, however, its use as a treatment option against Covid-19 has gone down, given the lack of evidence that it works, a new study has shown that it does not have a role in the treatment of Covid-19 that it only has a placebo effect.

Concept:

Azithromycin and Covid-19

• Azithromycin is a broad-spectrum antibiotic that is widely available. It is prescribed for various bacterial infection. Itis not used as an antibiotic, but as an immunomodulatory.
• Due to cardiac side effects the use of this drug has been stopped and is not part of any guidelines this year
• It reduce exacerbations in chronic airway diseases
• Azithromycin was in use last year as an antibiotic for atypical pneumonia and possible in vitro antiviral activity.

The new findings

• Treatment with a single dose of oral azithromycin compared with placebo did not result in a greater likelihood of being free of symptoms at day 14.
• There is no conclusive evidence that these drugs are of any benefit.
• Overuse of antibiotics during Covid-19 pandemic may lead to increased selection for antimicrobial resistance. Widespread use of azithromycin for Covid 19 in the absence of a clear bacterial indication may contribute to resistance selection
• Due to cardiac side effects the use of this drug has been stopped and is not part of any guidelines this year