ERYTHROMYCIN oral

Prescription under medical supervision

Therapeutic action

– Macrolide antibacterial

Indications

– Neonatal conjonctivitis due to Chlamydia trachomatis
– Alternative to first-line antibacterials in the treatment of:
• Borreliosis (louse-borne and tick-borne relapsing fevers), leptospirosis
• Acute otitis media, tonsillitis and sinusitis; diphtheria, pertussis, pneumonia due to Mycoplasma pneumoniae and Chlamydophila pneumoniae
• Furuncle, leg ulcer
• Cervicitis and urethritis due to Chlamydia trachomatis (in combination with a treatment for gonorrhoea), donovanosis, chancroid, lymphogranuloma venereum, syphilis
– Completion treatment following parenteral therapy with erythromycin

Forms and strengths

– 250 mg and 500 mg tablets
– 125 mg/5 ml powder for oral suspension, to be reconstituted with filtered water

Dosage

– Neonatal conjonctivitis due to C. trachomatis
Neonate: 12.5 mg/kg 4 times daily

– Louse-borne relapsing fever
Child under 5 years: 250 mg single dose
Child 5 years and over and adult: 500 mg single dose

– Other indications
Child: 30 to 50 mg/kg daily

Age	Weight	125 mg/5 ml susp.	250 mg tablet	500 mg tablet
< 2 months	< 5 kg	½ tsp x 2	¼ tab x 2	−
2 to < 12 months	5 to < 10 kg	1 tsp x 2	½ tab x 2	¼ tab x 2
1 to < 3 years	10 to < 15 kg	2 tsp x 2	1 tab x 2	½ tab x 2
3 to < 8 years	15 to < 25 kg	2 tsp x 3	1 tab x 3	½ tab x 3
8 to < 11 years	25 to < 35 kg	−	2 tab x 2	1 tab x 2
11 to < 13 years	35 to < 45 kg	−	2 tab x 3	1 tab x 3

Adult: 1 g 2 to 3 times daily

Duration

– Tick-borne relapsing fever, leptospirosis, pertussis, cervicitis and urethritis, chancroid, leg ulcer: 7 days; sinusitis: 7 to 10 days; tonsillitis, otitis: 10 days; atypical pneumonia: 10 to 14 days; diphtheria, syphilis, lymphogranuloma venereum, donovanosis, conjunctivitis due to C. trachomatis: 14 days.

Contra-indications, adverse effects, precautions

– Do not administer to patients with allergy to erythromycin or another macrolide.
– Administer with caution to patients with renal impairment (max. 1.5 g daily for adult with severe renal impairment) or hepatic impairment.
– May cause: gastrointestinal disturbances, reversible hearing disorders, heart rhythm disorders (QT prolongation); allergic reactions sometimes severe. In the event of allergic reaction, stop treatment immediately.
– Avoid combination with drugs that prolong the QT interval (amiodarone, chloroquine, co-artemether, fluconazole, haloperidol, mefloquine, moxifloxacin, ondansetron, pentamidine, quinine, etc.).
– Administer with caution and monitor use in patients taking carbamazepine or digoxin (increased their plasma levels).
– Avoid use in neonates less than 2 weeks (risk of pyloric stenosis).
– Pregnancy and breast-feeding: no contra-indication

Remarks

– Take tablets preferably one hour before or 2 hours after a meal.
– Storage: below 25 °C - -
For the oral suspension (powder or reconstituted suspension): follow manufacturer’s instructions.