The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 276 No 7405 p714
17 June 2006

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Nitazoxanide for rotavirus diarrhoea

A three-day course of nitazoxanide — a thiazolide anti-infective agent — reduces the duration of rotavirus diarrhoea in children, new data show (published online in The Lancet, 13 June 2006).

Thirty-eight children aged five months to seven years (median age 11 months) admitted to hospital with rotavirus diarrhoea were randomised to receive either nitazoxanide or placebo.

Median time to resolution of illness was 31 hours in the treatment group and 75 hours in the control group (P=0.0137). No significant adverse events were reported.