Table 2. Published WHO recommendations for antibiotic therapy for children >2 years presenting with suspected cholera.

Condition	‘Antibiotic of choice’	Alternative	In addition
WHO Pocketbook Recommendations Cholera with severe dehydration [12,20]	Tetracycline 12.5 mg/kg qid for 3 days	Erythromycin 12.5 mg/kg qid for 3 days	Zinc supplementation
	or	or	20 mg/kg for 10–14 days as soon as vomiting has ceased
	Doxycycline (dosage not listed)	Chloramphenicol 20 mg/kg IM qid for 3 days
	or
	Cotrimoxazole (dosage not listed)
WHO 2010 PAHO Recommendations (Haiti outbreak)	Option 1	Option 2
Children over 3 years who can swallow tablets	Erythromycin 12.5 mg/kg/6 h for 3 days	Ciprofloxacin, suspension or tablets 20 mg/kg in a single dose
	or	or
	Azithromycin, 20 mg/kg in a single dose not exceeding 1 g	doxycycline suspension or tablets 2–4 mg/kg PO in single dose
Children under 3 years, or infants who cannot swallow tablets	Erythromycin, suspension,	Ciprofloxacin suspension 20 mg/kg, in a single dose
	12.5 mg/kg/6 h for 3 days
	or	or
	Azithromycin suspension 20 mg/kg in a single dose	Doxycycline syrup 2–4 mg/kg PO in a single dose

Note: IM, intramuscular; qid, four times daily.