Linear growth in preschool children treated with mass azithromycin distributions for trachoma: A cluster-randomized trial.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Mass azithromycin distributions have been shown to reduce mortality among pre-school children in sub-Saharan Africa. It is unclear what mediates this mortality reduction, but one possibility is that antibiotics function as growth promoters for young children.

Methods and findings

24 rural Ethiopian communities that had received biannual mass azithromycin distributions over the previous four years were enrolled in a parallel-group, cluster-randomized trial. Communities were randomized in a 1:1 ratio to either continuation of biannual oral azithromycin (20mg/kg for children, 1 g for adults) or to no programmatic antibiotics over the 36 months of the study period. All community members 6 months and older were eligible for the intervention. The primary outcome was ocu

SUBMITTER: Keenan JD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6550377 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature