Eradication of non-typhoid salmonellae in acute enteritis after therapy with ofloxacin for 5 or 10 days

Eradication of non-typhoid salmonellae was evaluated in a randomized, double-blinded study of 49 patients with acute enteritis after therapy with ofloxacin 400 mg once daily for 5 or 10 days. Early eradication of salmonellae was found in 57% of patients in the 5 day therapy group and in 74% of patients in the 10 day therapy group. This difference was larger among severely ill patients. Together with our previous study of ofloxacin therapy for 3 days or placebo, this shows that early eradication of non-typhoid salmonellae increases with duration of ofloxacin therapy without an increase in persistence of salmonellae in stools or development of resistant strains.