Could a monthly antibiotic pill replace painful shots for rheumatic heart disease?

NCT ID NCT07625228

First seen Jun 05, 2026 · Last updated Jun 20, 2026 · Updated 3 times

Summary

This study will test if an oral antibiotic (azithromycin) taken for three days each month works as well as the standard monthly penicillin injection to prevent rheumatic heart disease from getting worse. About 474 Nigerian students aged 10-18 with mild or moderate rheumatic heart disease will be randomly assigned to one of the two treatments for two years. The goal is to find a more acceptable and easier-to-use option that could improve adherence and outcomes in resource-limited settings.

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Contacts and locations

Study contacts

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    Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

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What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance

Azithromycin (oral) and Benzathine Penicillin G (injection)

What this could lead to

If oral azithromycin works as well as penicillin shots, it could offer a painless, easier-to-take option for preventing rheumatic heart disease in low-resource settings.

What could go wrong

This is a non-inferiority trial, so azithromycin may prove less effective than the standard shot. The study hasn't started yet, and results depend on real-world adherence in a young population.

Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

Heart Valve Diseases Rheumatic Fever rheumatic heart disease

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.