Corticosteroids in Infectious Diseases

Accumulated data based on experiences with curtico,teroids in the management uf infectious disea­ses, have proved that they are very dfective and ,afe drugs provided that are administered properly.  The Corticosteroids arc administered mainly be­c,1usc o; antitoxic, antiimflammatory a11d antiallcrgic effects, the cndotoxius are ncuturalized, generalized body reactions are diminished, damaged tissues arc repaired and tissue fibrosis and sdcrosis arc prevent­ed, thry are used in the treatment of diseases mani­fested with severe toxic state, involvement ofsupra renal glands, allergic reactions, exudation and severe ,;ibrosis.  The corticosteroids of choiceare prednisolone and in some cases Hydrocortisone hemisuccinate, dosage is dependent on severity of the disease and usually it ranges bdween 0.512 mk./kg/24hrs. prednisolonc and equalent dose of H.CH, depending on sev-erity of the disease, duration of treatment should be con­sidered.  The main indications o[ corticosteroids are as follows:  Infectious diseas2s : Typlwid fever, Brurcllo,is, Septicemia, Purulent meningitises, some cases of T.B., Rheumatic fever, Viral hepatitis, Infectious mono­nucleosis, complications of Influenza and .Mumps (Orchitis)., Edematous laryngitis in children, Viral ca rdiopa thies, Post vaccination encephalitis, Toxo­plasmosis, Malaria (Cerebral), and rarely in Ricket­sil infections.  Management of allergic reactions (Scrum seac­tions).