Background: In the treatment of human brucellosis, antibiotic regimens containing an aminoglycoside are reportedly associated with fewer relapses.
Methods: This prospective, randomized study employed doxycycline (100 mg administered orally twice daily for 45 days) in combination with either streptomycin (1 g administered intramuscularly daily for 14 days; the DS regimen) or gentamicin (5 mg/kg per day administered intramuscularly for 7 days; the DG regimen). Efficacy of treatment was determined by rates of failure or relapse with a follow-up period of 1 year.
Results: Ninety-seven patients with a mean age (+/- standard deviation [SD]) of 33.74+/-15.47 years and 94 patients with the a mean age (+/-SD) of 36.2+/-14.14 years were treated with regimens DG and DS, respectively (P = .277). The clinical manifestations in both groups of patients were similar with the exception of sweating, which was more common in the DG group (P = .04). Three (3.2%) of the patients in the DS group and 3 (3.1%) of patients in the DG group experienced relapse (difference, 0.1%; 95% confidence interval [CI], -4% to 5%; P = 1.0). Overall, 7 (7.4%) of the patients in the DS group and 5 (5.2%) of the patients in the DG group experienced failure of therapy or relapse (difference, 2.2%; 95% CI, -4.5% to 8.9%; P = .563). The actuarial probability for relapse at 12 months after completion of therapy was 4.3% in the DS group and 2.1% in the DG group (difference, 2.2%; 95% CI, -2.8% to 7.2%).
Conclusions: The combination of oral doxycycline for 45 days plus intramuscular gentamicin for 7 days is equally as effective as traditional therapy using doxycycline for 45 days plus streptomycin for 14 days.