Comparative, Randomized Trial of One-Day Doxycycline Versus 10-Day Tetracycline Therapy for Mediterranean Spotted Fever

Mediterranean spotted fever is an acute infectious disease caused by Rickettsia conorii . The optimal duration of therapy is not well established, and proposed regimens vary from short to two-week-long treatment with antibiotics. Given the advantages of supply, low cost, and lower toxicity of short treatments with antibiotics, the authors undertook a randomized clinical trial comparing the therapeutic efficacy of a one-day course of doxycycline with the classic 10-day course of tetracycline hydrochloride.