A Comparison of Gentian Violet (GV) Mouth Washes, Nystatin, and Ketoconazole Tabs in Treating Oropharyngeal Candidiasis
Status:
Completed
Trial end date:
2005-04-01
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
In resource constrained societies and where HIV is a problem, oral thrush causes significant
morbidity. In adults, ketoconazole is used and sometimes oral nystatin. Both drugs are
relatively expensive compared to GV solution and ketoconazole has significant side effects
especially in association with some of the treatments for HIV related problems.
In children, either GV solutions or nystatin are used, GV is a fraction of the cost of
nystatin.
GV at 1% solution discolours the mouth (blue) and in the older child and adult would mark
them out as having HIV infections. A much more dilute solution of GV has proved equally
effective in vitro and would not carry the same cosmetic problem.
In this study of children, the investigators have compared the 3 solutions, 1% GV, 0.00165%
GV and nystatin oral drops - all masked so that they look the same - to see if GV is more
effective than nystatin, and to see if the weaker solution of GV is as effective as the
stronger solution.