Aim: To determine if an antibiotic reduces the incidence of complications associated with influenza-like illness during an influenza epidemic.
Methods: During the outbreak of influenza in Kobe in 1998, 85 patients suffering from an influenza-like illness were randomly assigned to two groups. Patients received placebo or sultamicillin orally for 4 days. The incidence of complications of influenza-like illness were compared and statistically assessed.
Results: There was no difference in the duration of fever or the incidence of acute otitis media. However, the incidence of pneumonia was significantly lower in the sultamicillin group than the placebo group (2.4 vs 16.3%, P < 0.05).
Conclusion: Sultamicillin reduced the incidence of pneumonia associated with influenza-like illness during the influenza epidemic. This result suggests that antibiotics can reduce the rate of pneumonia associated with influenza.