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Bacterial infections are responsible for more than a quarter of neonatal deaths in India. Might the addition of zinc improve treatment outcomes, given findings of beneficial effects in animals and in children?
To find out, researchers conducted a double-blind trial involving infants aged 7 to 120 days who were treated for probable serious bacterial infection (based on clinical findings and elevated C-reactive protein levels) at any of three hospitals in New Delhi. The infants were randomized to receive 10 mg of oral zinc or placebo daily, along with standard antibiotic therapy.
Treatment failure (defined as need to change therapy within 7 days, need for intensive care, or death within 21 days; assessable in 655 infants) occurred significantly…