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Background: There have been few controlled studies evaluating treatment of bacterial conjunctivitis beyond the newborn period. Topical therapy of bacterial conjunctivitis achieves a clinical cure but does not prevent acute otitis media (AOM)., Objectives: The aim of this study was to compare systemic antibiotic therapy (cefixime) with topical therapy with polymyxin-bacitracin for treatment of acute bacterial conjunctivitis with regard to clinical and bacteriologic cure and prevention of AOM., Methods: This study was a randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled trial of polymyxin-bacitracin ointment and oral placebo vs. topical placebo and oral cefixime in children with presumed acute bacterial conjunctivitis. Topical therapy was administered for 7 days; oral therapy was administered for 3 days. Bacterial cultures were obtained at entry and on Day 3 of treatment. Children were examined on Days 3 and 10 or if they worsened within 15 days of entry., Results: Eighty children were enrolled in the study. Bacterial cultures of the conjunctiva were positive in 70% of children: Haemophilus influenzae (53.7%); Streptococcus pneumoniae (13.8%); H. influenzae and S. pneumoniae (1.2%); and Moraxella catarrhalis (1.3%). There were 7 (17.5%) bacteriologic failures among children receiving topical antibiotic and oral placebo and 15 (37.5%) bacteriologic failures among children receiving topical placebo and oral cefixime (P = 0.07 with Yates correction). There was no difference between study groups with regard to either clinical cure or the development of AOM. Nine children (11%), 5 who received active topical therapy and 4 who received active oral drug, developed AOM either during or within 15 days of study entry., Conclusion: Cefixime was not more effective than topical polymyxin-bacitracin in either the eradication of conjunctival colonization with respiratory pathogens or the prevention of AOM in children with acute bacterial conjunctivitis.

Background: Although the recommended standard course of therapy for shigellosis is 5 days of oral ampicillin or trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole therapy, successful outcome has been reported in adults treated with abbreviated courses of antibiotics. The purpose of this study was to compare short course (2-day) vs. 5-day therapy with cefixime for treatment of diarrheal disease caused by Shigella sonnei in children., Methods: This was a prospective, randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled study. Patients were eligible if they were at least 6 months of age and presented to the Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh during an outbreak of diarrhea caused by S. sonnei, with (1) a history of fever and diarrhea (at least three loose or watery stools per day), (2) bloody diarrhea or (3) diarrhea and known exposure to an individual with documented shigellosis. Patients were randomized to receive either 2 days of cefixime (8 mg/kg(day) given once daily followed by 3 days of placebo or 5 days of cefixime. Telephone follow-up was performed on Days 3, 7 and 14 after enrollment. Follow-up stool cultures were obtained on Day 7 to assess bacteriologic cure. There were standardized definitions for cure, improvement, failure and relapse., Results: Forty-seven patients were enrolled. Eleven were eliminated from analysis because their stool cultures were not positive for S. sonnei. There were 36 evaluable patients, 21 in the 2-day group and 15 in the 5-day group. Patients ranged in age from 6 months to 17 years. Forty-four percent of the subjects were male. Symptoms were improved or had resolved by Day 3 of therapy in all patients. There were 8 patients who experienced a clinical relapse: 5 of 21 (24%) patients in the 2-day treatment group and 3 of 15 (20%) in the 5-day group. There were 13 patients who experienced a bacteriologic failure (defined as the occurrence of a positive culture at the Day 7 follow-up visit), 11 of 20 (55%) in the 2-day group and 2 of 14 (14%) in the 5-day group (P < 0.02)., Conclusion: Two- and 5-day treatment courses with cefixime for treatment of diarrheal disease caused by S. sonnei result in similar rates of clinical cure and clinical relapses; however, there was a higher rate of bacteriologic failure with shorter course therapy.