France successfully tested anti-malarial drugs combined with antibiotics to treat Covid-19

An effective treatment of Covid-19 has just been reported by a group of French and Vietnamese scientists in the International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents.

Accordingly, when they tested two drugs hydroxychloroquine (trade name is Plaquenil, which is used to treat malaria) and azithromycin (an antibiotic also known as Zithromax or Azithrocin), the Covid-19 patients were Shorten the time of virus infection.

That is, they had earlier negative test results than other patients, an indication that the drug responded and was able to inhibit the replication and replication of SARS-CoV-2 virus.

Trials of a combination treatment of hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin were performed in 30 patients positive for Covid-19.They were divided into 3 groups, the first group was given hydroxychloroquine alone, the second group combined it with antibiotics and the third group was not treated with both drugs for control.

Previously, Chinese scientists also reported that the combination treatment of antibiotics and anti-malarial drugs has been effective in patients in this country.They can also shorten the time the virus exists at a high load in their body.

Among the patients participating in the French study, 6 had covid-19 but did not show symptoms, 22 had upper respiratory symptoms (such as sneezing, sore throat, headache) and 8 people with lower respiratory tract symptoms (mostly coughing).

Treatment results in 20 patients showed that hydroxycholoroquine used alone also showed positive results.But when combined with azithromycin, it is even more effective.

"On day 6 after the regimen, 100% of the patients treated with hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin recovered from the virus, compared with 57.1% in patients treated with hydroxychloroquine and 12.5% ​​in the group. control, "the researchers wrote in the International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents.

Notably, a patient who was only treated with hydroxychloroquine gave a positive result on the sixth day, but after further treatment with azithromycin on the 8th day, by the 9th day, the test result was negative.

"We show that hydroxychloroquine is effective in clearing SARS-CoV-2 virus carriers in the nasopharyngeal region of most Covid-19 infected patients in the range of 3-6 days, " the study concludes. .

When used with azithromycin, this antibiotic also has a " synergistic effect. Previously, azithromycin has been shown to be effective against Zika and Ebola viruses in the tubular environment, and prevent respiratory infections. severe in patients with viral infections ".

Although this is only a small group study, representing a small number of patients, its results are still promising. Especially before, Chinese scientists also confirmed that this treatment method was effective.

In addition, scientists and physicians across the globe are also experimenting with other potential methods to find a way to combat the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The priority now is to take advantage of old drugs that have been licensed to treat some other viruses such as Ebola, SARS, HIV .

To date, no effective treatment has been fully recognized as specific to Covid-19, but studies everywhere are attempting to prove that their trials can represent a method. Medical regulators and licensors are also working very urgently, to evaluate and consider approving these treatment regimens if they are effective.

A vaccine development work for Covid-19 is also underway. This week, the first volunteers in the US were tested with a mRNA-based vaccine to confirm its safety.

However, any Covid-19 vaccine after successful safety testing will take 12-18 months to be approved and licensed to market.

Researchers and health regulators are trying their best to speed up this pace, hoping a vaccine could come out soon to stop the second wave of Covid-19, when it may still be. booming again in the coming winter.

Refer to Techcrunch