Treatment of intestinal microsporidiosis with albendazole in patients with AIDS.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the clinical and parasitological response to treatment of intestinal microsporidiosis with albendazole.


METHODS
Open prospective study.


METHODS
Hospital-based HIV/genito-urinary medicine unit.


METHODS
Six consecutive AIDS patients with small intestinal microsporidiosis as the only identified cause of diarrhoea after intensive gastrointestinal investigations.


RESULTS
Diarrhoea resolved completely in all patients within 1 week of starting treatment, and body weight stabilized or increased. Four patients who relapsed at 19-31 days after the cessation of treatment responded to a second course of albendazole. Degenerative changes occurred in the parasites after treatment, which had not been seen either in pre-treatment biopsies or, in four patients, following therapy with other drugs.


CONCLUSIONS
Albenazole is a useful palliative treatment for microsporidial diarrhoea.
Blanshard
C
C
AIDS Unit, Westminster-Hospital, London, UK.
Ellis
D S
DS
Tovey
D G
DG
Dowell
S
S
Gazzard
B G
BG
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000150:complications*; D000328:Adult; D015766:Albendazole / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000818:Animals; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016816:Microsporida / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016881:Microsporidiosis / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies
D015766:Albendazole