Fucithalmic in acute conjunctivitis. Open, randomized comparison of fusidic acid, chloramphenicol and framycetin eye drops

Abstract

Fucithalmic, which is 1% fusidic acid in a sustained-release eye preparation, was shown to be superior to both chloramphenicol eye drops and framycetin (Soframycin) eye drops in the treatment of bacterial conjunctivitis in Tanzania. The clinical success rate was 77/83 (93%) on fusidic acid compared with 22/46 (48% on chloramphenicol and 26/35 (74%) on framycetin (P less than or equal to 0.02). The better effect of fusidic acid could be ascribed to a much lower rate of in vitro resistance (17%) compared to chloramphenicol (58%) and framycetin (41%). Because of the low resistance rate to fusidic acid among eye pathogens, especially in areas of the world with a high resistance towards other commonly used eye anti-infectives, Fucithalmic given twice daily would seem to be a valuable new eye anti-infective.