Role of Antibiotics in Treatment of Measles Secondary Bacterial Pneumonia
Early Treatment Saves Lives
By Peter A. McCullough, MD, MPH
As we heard the tragic story on CHD-TV told by the Mennonite parents of a little girl who died of an inadequately treated secondary bacterial pneumonia, I wondered if there have been trials of early antibiotics to cover secondary bacterial pathogens complicating measles viral pneumonia.
Garly et al conducted a prospective randomized placebo-controlled trial of sufa-trimethoxazole (Bactrim, Septra) a widely available, generic antibiotic in patients with severe measles. Of note, 59% had been vaccinated for measles just a few years earlier.




