Recently, rumors have been circulating that chloramphenicol treats typhoid fever in the CAR. After several checks conducted by AFC with health specialists, it has been confirmed that this medication can treat typhoid fever with medical authorization.
Contacted by phone, Dr. Awa Ibet, a pharmacy specialist, stated that chloramphenicol treats typhoid fever.
“Chloramphenicol is one of the antibiotics that also treats bacteria. It is prescribed by a doctor following a patient’s antibiotic sensitivity test, which varies from person to person. The diet is also important as part of the disease treatment.”
Interviewed on February 23, 2023, Dr. Alexandre-Bonaventure Mbombo from the PK3 Medical-Dental Center on Avenue Barthélémy Boganda said:
“Chloramphenicol, although an antibiotic, has side effects including anemia known as aplastic anemia. Therefore, it is important to consult healthcare personnel for appropriate treatment rather than self-medication.”
Similarly, Désiré Yapélem, a pharmaceutical product vendor at the Combattant market, mentioned:
“The recommended medication for treating typhoid fever is Augmentin.”
According to an article published by Le Monde: “Chloramphenicol is effective but dangerous and should be reserved for severe cases.” “Chloramphenicol is an effective antibiotic against a wide range of infectious agents, from typhoid bacilli to certain viruses, including rickettsiae (parasites particularly resistant to all treatments), staphylococci, meningococci, etc. Its utility is indisputable for certain specific cases.”
Chloramphenicol is a bacterial antibiotic from the phenicol family. It can be used to treat meningitis, plague, cholera, and typhoid fever only when other antibiotics cannot be used. During treatment, it is recommended to monitor blood composition every two days.
Beware of self-medication for guaranteed health in the CAR.
Cynthia Sangbaté AFC
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