Objectives: Due to recent safety concerns regarding fluoroquinolones and the potential medical and economic benefits, we investigated the efficacy of a single intravenous dose of 1.5 g azithromycin for the treatment of pulmonary legionellosis.
Methods: Using a nationwide legionellosis registry for pre-selection, 74 patients admitted from 2000-2018 to a tertiary care hospital owing to pneumonia caused by Legionella pneumophila were retrospectively included in this study.
Results: Conventional treatment regimens consisting of fluoroquinolones (n = 20), macrolides (n = 30) or combinations of both (n = 24) and a single intravenous dose of azithromycin (n = 12) have been demonstrated to be equally effective. Single-dose azithromycin treatment was well tolerated and resulted in a shorter hospital stay (P = 0.0464) and shorter antibiotic treatment duration (P = 0.0004) allowing earlier discharge.
Conclusion: A single intravenous dose of azithromycin might be a valuable treatment alternative for patients with legionellosis.
Keywords: Antimicrobial therapy; Azithromycin; Fluoroquinolones; Legionella pneumophila; Legionnaires’ disease; Pneumonia.
Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd and International Society of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. All rights reserved.