Which treatment is commonly given for pertussis in infants?

In infants diagnosed with pertussis, azithromycin is the recommended treatment. This macrolide antibiotic is effective against Bordetella pertussis, the bacterium that causes the disease. Azithromycin works by inhibiting bacterial protein synthesis, which helps to reduce the severity and duration of the coughing paroxysms associated with pertussis.

The choice of azithromycin is particularly important for young infants because they are at a higher risk for complications related to pertussis, such as apnea or pneumonia. Additionally, azithromycin is preferred over other antibiotics due to its favorable safety profile in the pediatric population, especially in very young infants, including those under one month.

While other antibiotics, such as amoxicillin or ceftriaxone, may be appropriate for different bacterial infections, they are not effective against the specific pathogen responsible for pertussis. Vancomycin is typically reserved for severe infections, especially those caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria, and is not indicated for the treatment of pertussis in this age group. Thus, the use of azithromycin is a targeted approach to managing this infectious disease in infants.