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Therapeutic actionIndicationsForms and strengths, route of administrationDosageDurationContra-indications, adverse effects, precautions
1 May 2026Potentially dangerous, obsolete, or ineffective

Long-Acting Oily Chloramphenicol Injectable: Dosing and Precautions

Long-acting oily chloramphenicol guidance for meningococcal meningitis during epidemics, with single-dose IM use and haematologic precautions.

Also searched as

Oily chloramphenicol injectableLong-acting chloramphenicol injectable
Prescription under medical supervision

Source reviewed

source date listed on the source page

Guide category

Potentially dangerous, obsolete, or ineffective

Safety boundary

Prescription medicine information for clinician-guided use.

Kenza Health Hub presents this medicine page as structured health education. Check dose, route, interactions, pregnancy or breast-feeding considerations, and local protocol with a qualified clinician or pharmacist. Read our medical editorial policy.

This guide page is for structured reference only and does not replace a clinician, pharmacist, or emergency review. Dose choice, route choice, interactions, and safety decisions still need professional judgment.

Therapeutic action

Phenicol antibacterial, with prolonged effect.

Indications

Treatment of meningococcal meningitis during epidemics.

Forms and strengths, route of administration

500 mg oily suspension in 2 ml ampoule (250 mg/ml) for IM injection only.

Dosage

Child over 2 years and adult: 100 mg/kg single dose (max. 3 g per dose).

  • 2 to under 6 years, 13 to under 21 kg: 1.5 g (6 ml).
  • 6 to under 10 years, 21 to under 31 kg: 2 g (8 ml).
  • 10 to under 15 years, 31 to under 54 kg: 2.5 g (10 ml).
  • 15 years and over and adult, 54 kg and over: 3 g (12 ml).
  • If necessary, administer half the dose into each buttock.
Long-acting oily chloramphenicol dose by age and weight
AgeWeightDoseVolume
2 to < 6 years13 to < 21 kg1.5 g6 ml
6 to < 10 years21 to < 31 kg2 g8 ml
10 to < 15 years31 to < 54 kg2.5 g10 ml
≥ 15 years and adult≥ 54 kg3 g12 ml

Duration

Single dose. If there is no improvement after 24 hours, a second dose may be administered.

Contra-indications, adverse effects, precautions

  • Do not administer to patients with history of allergic reaction or bone marrow depression during a previous treatment with chloramphenicol, or with G6PD deficiency.
  • May cause dose-related haematological toxicity, allergic reactions, gastrointestinal disturbances, and peripheral or optic neuropathies.
  • Avoid or monitor combination with potentially haematotoxic drugs such as carbamazepine, co-trimoxazole, flucytosine, pyrimethamine, and zidovudine.
  • Pregnancy: contraindicated.
  • Breast-feeding: contraindicated.

Source

MSF Essential drugs practical guidelines (January 2026)

This page combines source-derived medicine reference sections with Kenza editorial context, while leaving out the Storage and Remarks sections from the source batch.

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