THE EPIDEMIOLOGY OF ACUTE RESPIRATORY INFECTIONS CONDITIONED BY SULFONAMIDES.

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Sulfadiazine was adm. to 30 children for a period of 15 wks., to determine its effect on the bact. flora of the nasopharynx, and on the frequency, severity, and complications of acute respiratory infections. During the first 1/2 of the study, daily dosage was 1 g. and in the latter 1/2, the dosage was doubled. The conc. of free sulfadiazine in the blood averaged 3.4 mg. % with the lower dosage, and 7.2 mg. % with the higher dosage. For purpose of control, 30 additional children comparable with those receiving drug were observed under the same living conditions. Recognizable toxic reactions attributable to sulfadiazine were negligible. Changes in red and white cells and non-protein N of the blood were all within the range of normal variations. Sulfadiazine crystals and a few microscopic red blood cells were observed commonly in the urines. The respiratory infections encountered were pneumonia, the common cold and chicken pox. There were no significant differences in the frequency and severity of the infections of the respiratory tract observed in treated and control groups. The clinical infections in both groups were few, relatively mild and, with one exception, were not complicated by virulent bacterial invasion so that any prophylactic or therapeutic effect of the drug was not readily demonstrable.