Mass Oral Azithromycin for Childhood Mortality: Timing of Death After Distribution in the MORDOR Trial

15 Jun 2019
Travis C Porco, John Hart, Ahmed M Arzika, Jerusha Weaver, Khumbo Kalua, Zakayo Mrango, Sun Y Cotter, Nicole E Stoller, Kieran S O’Brien, Dionna M Fry, Benjamin Vanderschelden, Catherine E Oldenburg, Sheila K West, Robin L Bailey, Jeremy D Keenan, Thomas M Lietman, Macrolides Oraux pour Réduire les Décès avec un Oeil sur la Résistance (MORDOR) Study Group

In a large community-randomized trial, biannual azithromycin distributions significantly reduced postneonatal childhood mortality in sub-Saharan African sites. Here, we present a prespecified secondary analysis showing that much of the protective effect was in the first 3 months postdistribution. Distributing more frequently than biannually could be considered if logistically feasible.