The treatment of kala-azar during pregnancy.
BACKGROUND
Kala-azar in pregnant women is difficult to treat because for them the two commonly used drugs, sodium stibogluconate and pentamidine, are not considered safe. We assessed the effect of amphotericin B on pregnancy, on the foetus and kala-azar.


METHODS
Five pregnant women were administered amphotericin B at a dose of 1 mg/kg body weight daily starting with 0.5 mg/kg body weight till a total dose of 20 mg/kg body weight was given. The progress of pregnancy was monitored ultrasonographically and the mothers and children were followed for six months.


RESULTS
All the 5 women were cured of the disease and there was no harmful effect on the children.


CONCLUSIONS
Amphotericin B cures kala-azar during pregnancy with no harmful effects on the foetus.
Department of Medicine, Patna Medical College, Bihar, India.
C P
CP
Thakur
G P
GP
Sinha
V
V
Sharma
D
D
Barat
D000328:Adult; D000666:Amphotericin B / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007898:Leishmaniasis, Visceral / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011247:Pregnancy; D015597:Pregnancy Complications, Parasitic / Q000188:drug therapy*
D000666:Amphotericin B