Could a simple antibiotic stop shigella from stunting Kids' growth?

NCT ID NCT07433426

Disease control Sponsor: Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026

Summary

This study looks at whether giving antibiotics to children with a certain type of Shigella infection (non-dysentery watery diarrhea) helps them recover faster and grow better. About 700 children in Bangladesh and Zambia will receive either azithromycin or a placebo. Researchers will track how long diarrhea lasts, when the germ clears from stool, and changes in weight over three months.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Phase

Phase 2

Tests whether the treatment actually works, and watches for side effects, in a larger group.

Participants

About 700 people

The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.

Started

Mar 2026

Expected to finish

Aug 2030

An estimate. End dates often move.

Lead sponsor

Other sponsor

The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Ages

6 to 59 months

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Not accepted

This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: * Patients \>6 and ≤59 months of age seeking care in the study hospitals * Patients residing within the study catchment area * Present with watery diarrhea and positive for Shigella by RLDT * Willing to be available for sample and data collection during the follow up visits Exclusion Criteria: * Inability or unwillingness of a participant's parent/guardian to give written informed consent or comply with study protocol * Diarrhea started more than 96 hours before enrollment * Antibiotics related to shigellosis treatment (including the investigational drug azithromycin) taken in the past 5 days * More than 2 doses of antidiarrheal drugs taken in the past 24 hours * History of allergy to Azithromycin * Presence of visible blood in stool * Children with severe acute malnutrition (below -3z scores of the median WHO growth standards). * History of congenital heart diseases, known gastrointestinal abnormalities, including short bowel syndrome, chronic (inflammatory or irritable) bowel disease, inherited or acquired immune system deficiency rendering the patient immunocompromised, including chronic/long-term steroid treatment or other immunosuppressive treatment * Fever over 39°C (102°F) with other complications that require antibiotic treatment * Past or current medical problems or findings from physical examination or laboratory testing that are not listed above, which, in the opinion of the investigator, may pose additional risks from participation in the study, may interfere with the participant's ability to comply with study requirements or that may impact the quality or interpretation of the data obtained from the study

Get updates

Get notified about this study

Sign up to get updates when this study changes or when new studies for Diarrhea infectious are added.

Vår säkerhetsrekommendation!

Genom att skicka in godkänner du våra Användarvillkor

Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

diarrheal disease dysentery shigellosis

As listed by the trial registrant

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

Diarrhea infectious Growth & development Shigella

How to take part

Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.

The places running it

4 sites in 2 countries. The list below names each one and where it is.
The official record

ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.

Open the record ↗
A doctor treating you

A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.

Could a simple antibiotic stop shigella from stunting Kids' growth?

What the study statuses mean