B. Kean, William Schaffner, Robert W. Brennan
May 5, 1962
Citations
1
Influential Citations
55
Citations
Quality indicators
Journal
JAMA
Abstract
Travelers to all lands have suffered attacks of diarrhea. A double-blind study tested the efficacy of 2 antimicrobial drugs in the prevention of tourist diarrhea among 473 American college students in Mexico City. One group of 168 received a lactose placebo, 137 received neomycin sulfate (1 gm. per day), and 168 received phthalylsulfathiazole (2 gm. per day), all under close supervision. Moderate or severe diarrhea occured in 17% (29) of those who took the placebo, 5% (7) of those who took neomycin, and 7% (11) of those who took phthalylsulfathiazole. Among these initially healthy and carefully supervised young persons no untoward reactions were observed, but if these drugs are to he used as prophylactic agents on a larger scale, their administration should be accompanied by similar medical precautions.