Regimens for the acute phase of illness should contain ceftazidime or imipenem. It is not yet clear if combinations of treatments in the early phase reduce relapse. For oral therapy after the acute phase of treatment, trials suggest that conventional four drug regimens can be used for treatment.
A prospective comparison of co-amoxiclav and the combination of chloramphenicol, doxycycline, and co-trimoxazole for the oral maintenance treatment of melioidosis.
An open randomized comparison of the oral 'conventional' regimen (combination of chloramphenicol, cotrimoxazole and doxycycline) and co-amoxiclav for the maintenance treatment of melioidosis was conducted in Ubon Ratchatani, north-eastern Thailand, between 1989 and 1992. The total antibiotic treatment duration was 20 weeks. Of 101 patients followed, 10 (10%; 95% confidence interval [CI] 4.9-17.5%) subsequently relapsed: 2 of 52 patients (4%) in the oral 'conventional' group, and 8 of 49 patients (16%) receiving oral co-amoxiclav. This compares with a relapse rate of 23% in our previous study of 8 weeks' total therapy. Only 50% of patients complied with the 20 weeks' treatment regimen and poor compliance proved the most significant risk factor for subsequent relapse (relative risk [RR] 4.9, 95% CI 1.2-20.3). Neither the presence of known underlying disease nor choice of initial parenteral treatment was significantly associated with a higher risk of relapse. Co-amoxiclav is safer and better tolerated, but may be less effective (RR of relapse 0.4, 95% CI 0.2-1.2) than the oral 'conventional' regimen. The minimum duration of total treatment with either regimen should be 12-20 weeks, depending on clinical progress.