Comparison of standard versus double dose of amoxicillin in the treatment of non-severe pneumonia in children aged 2-59 months: a multi-centre, double blind, randomised controlled trial in Pakistan.

Introduction: WHO pneumonia case management guidelines recommend oral amoxicillin as first line treatment for non-severe pneumonia. Increasing treatment failure rates have been reported over a period of time, which could possibly be due to increasing minimum inhibitory concentrations of Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae for amoxicillin. Microbiological data show that this resistance can be overcome by increasing amoxicillin dosage.

Immunogenicity of a recombinant, yeast-derived, anti-hepatitis-B vaccine after alternative dosage and schedule vaccination in Pakistani children.

A controlled, randomized trial was conducted in urban areas of Karachi and Lahore with the aim to look for ways to improve the cost-effectiveness of hepatitis B vaccination. Children under 15 years old (including neonates) were selected and screened for immunization by three regimens according to the frequency and doses of the recombinant vaccine used (Heberbiovac HB, Heber Biotec, Havana). Group A received 10 microg at 0, 1 months; group B (control) received 10 microg at 0, 1 and 2 months (standard regime), and group C received 5 microg at 0, 1 and 2 months.