Description
Same active ingredient (azithromycin) as Zithromax®, the US brand. Azithromycin 100 mg DT is an Indian brand, made and licensed in India.
About Azithromycin 100mg DT
Azithromycin 100mg DT is a prescription dispersible tablet containing 100 mg of azithromycin, made by Healing Pharma in India, used mainly to treat bacterial infections in children, such as middle-ear infections, strep throat and chest infections. “DT” means the tablet is designed to break up in a little water, turning it into a drinkable dose for a child who cannot yet swallow tablets.
How does azithromycin work?
A macrolide antibiotic, azithromycin latches on to the ribosome inside susceptible bacteria, the structure that assembles new proteins, so the germs stop growing and the child’s immune system can finish the job. It concentrates in the tonsils, middle ear and lungs and leaves the body slowly, which is why a full children’s course lasts just three to five days.
What is it used for?
- Acute otitis media (middle-ear infection).
- Streptococcal sore throat or tonsillitis, usually when a penicillin cannot be used.
- Community-acquired pneumonia and other chest infections, including those caused by atypical bacteria such as Mycoplasma.
- Some skin and soft-tissue infections.
It does nothing for viral colds, flu or coughs, and needless antibiotics fuel resistance, so give it only when a clinician has confirmed a bacterial infection.
How much is given?
Children’s doses are calculated from body weight. A common regimen is 10 mg per kg once daily for three days; another is 10 mg/kg on day one followed by 5 mg/kg on days two to five. For strep throat, US labeling uses 12 mg/kg once daily for five days. The daily amount should never go above the adult dose of 500 mg. As a guide, UK weight bands for the three-day course are:
| Body weight | Daily dose | 100 mg DT tablets per day |
|---|---|---|
| 15–25 kg | 200 mg | 2 |
| 26–35 kg | 300 mg | 3 |
| 36–45 kg | 400 mg | 4 |
| Over 45 kg | 500 mg (adult dose) | An adult tablet is usually more practical |
The table is illustrative; your child’s doctor sets the exact dose.
How to give a dispersible tablet
- Place the prescribed number of tablets in a small glass with a little water, roughly 10–20 ml.
- Stir until they have broken down into a cloudy mixture.
- Let the child drink it straight away, then swirl a little more water round the glass and give that too, so no medicine is left behind.
- Give it once daily, with or without food.
If your child vomits soon after a dose, ask a pharmacist whether to repeat it. Keep indigestion remedies containing aluminum or magnesium a couple of hours away from the dose, as they can reduce absorption.
What are the side effects?
Tummy upset is the most frequent problem: loose stools, nausea, vomiting and stomach ache. Some children get a headache, a mild rash or oral thrush. Seek medical help urgently if your child:
- develops swelling of the face or lips, wheezing, or a widespread rash with blisters or peeling;
- has severe, watery or bloody diarrhea, even weeks after the course, which can signal C. difficile infection;
- faints, has a racing or irregular heartbeat, or turns yellow in the skin or eyes;
- is a baby under six weeks old and starts projectile vomiting or feeding poorly, since azithromycin has been linked with pyloric stenosis in very young infants.
Who should not take it?
It must not be given to a child who has reacted badly to azithromycin, erythromycin, clarithromycin or any other macrolide, or who developed jaundice with azithromycin in the past. Tell the doctor about any heart rhythm problem such as long QT syndrome, low potassium or magnesium, liver or kidney disease, or myasthenia gravis. Mention all other medicines, especially heart-rhythm drugs, digoxin, ciclosporin and warfarin.
Pack sizes and storage
Azithromycin 100mg DT comes in strips of 10 tablets and is sold in packs of 60, 120 or 180, from $35. Store them below 86°F (30°C) in the strip, somewhere dry and away from children, and do not save leftovers for another illness.
Frequently asked questions
Should my child finish the course if they seem better?
Yes. Give every dose prescribed; the antibiotic keeps acting for several days after the final tablet.
Is there another dispersible brand?
Azee 100 mg DT from Cipla contains the same amount of azithromycin per tablet.
Can adults take these tablets?
They could, but an adult dose would mean five tablets, so adults and teenagers over 45 kg usually take Azithromycin 500 mg instead. Other items are listed under More Product.
This page gives general information and is no substitute for a doctor’s assessment. Azithromycin 100mg DT is a prescription antibiotic: give it only for an infection a clinician has diagnosed, at the dose they set.