Antibiotics in the Tropics : Antibacterial Therapy with Limited Resources

International textbooks on infectious diseases and antibacterial chemotherapy are usually written for readers in North America and Europe. In many ways, they are not appropriate for the prob­ lems encountered in developing countries. This book, in contrast, intends to define the rules of antibacterial chemotherapy practised under conditions of limited resources. It is meant for everyone con­ cerned with the use of antibiotics in developing countries, includ­ ing doctors, medical assistants, pharmacists, officials in health mio­ isteries, and medical students. Throughout the book, treatment recommendations are made for 1 antibiotics from the WHO list of essential drugs. For example, em­ phasis has therefore been put upon chloramphenicol as a stable, unexpensive and widely available oral agent suitable for the treat­ ment of severe bacterial infections like septicemia and meningitis. So-called "international chemotherapy" with modem cephalospor­ ins and acylaminopenicillins has been outlined for comparison. Since it is the aim of the book to base treatment recommenda­ tions on data from developing countries, many data on the etiology of common bacterial infections in developing countries have also been included. Most of the data are from African, English-speak­ ing developing countries, but references have been made to the lit­ erature on South East Asia, India or Papua New Guinea, where appropriate. On the other hand, pertinent data were not available in every instance, so that several statements and recommendations had to be made as "best guess". The authors are aware of these imperfections and will welcome comments from the readers. Front Matter....Pages I-XII Introduction....Pages 1-2 Front Matter....Pages 3-3 The Range of Antibiotics Available....Pages 5-25 Choice of Antibiotics....Pages 26-33 Bacterial Resistance in Developing Countries....Pages 34-38 Administration of AntiBiotics....Pages 39-40 Dossage of Antibiotics....Pages 41-44 Side Effects and Contraindications....Pages 45-48 Combinations of Antibiotics....Pages 49-50 Costs of Antibiotics....Pages 51-52 Front Matter....Pages 53-53 Septicemia....Pages 55-70 Infective Endocarditis....Pages 71-80 Purulent Pericarditis....Pages 81-82 Infections of the Central Nervous System....Pages 83-104 Infections of the Respiratory Tract....Pages 105-141 Infections of the Gastrointestinal Tract....Pages 142-169 Infections of the Musculoskeletal System....Pages 170-186 Skin and Wound Infections....Pages 187-209 Sexually Transmitted Diseases....Pages 210-221 Obstetric and Gynecological Infections....Pages 222-230 Genitourinary Infections....Pages 231-242 Front Matter....Pages 53-53 Infections of the Ear, Nose, and Throat....Pages 243-250 Eye Infections....Pages 251-258 Salmonella Infections....Pages 259-264 Rickettsial Diseases....Pages 265-268 Leptospirosis....Pages 269-270 Brucellosis....Pages 271-273 Relapsing Fever....Pages 274-275 Anthrax....Pages 276-277 Plague....Pages 278-279 Listeria Infections....Pages 280-281 Melioidosis....Pages 282-283 Nonvenereal Treponematoses....Pages 284-284 Mycobacterial Infections....Pages 285-301 Actinomycosis....Pages 302-302 Nocardiosis....Pages 303-304 Rare Bacterial Diseases: Bartonellosis, Erysipeloid, and Ratbite Fever....Pages 305-305 Fungal Infections....Pages 306-318 Treatment of AIDS....Pages 319-321 Back Matter....Pages 322-328 This book intends to lay down rules of antibacterial chemotherapy under insufficient conditions and limited resourcs. It fills the need for a textbook or even concise review of antibacterial chemotherapy in tropical areas, and combines sufficient knowledge of modern antibiotics and common infections with expertise on tropical infections. Stress is laid on treatment with antibiotics included in the WHO list of essential drugs, but still includes reference to modern international standard therapy. Short-term and single-dose therapy is also emphasized. Readers of this book will find a means to increase the quality of routine economical use of antibiotics under conditions of limited resources