title: [Synergic effect of albendazole plus metronidazole association in the treatment of metronidazole-resistant giardiasis].
abstract: Twenty patients with intestinal giardiasis, already resistant to 3-5 previous courses of oral metronidazole, were randomly distributed into 2 different groups: 10 subjects were given oral albendazole (440 mg/two times per day for 7 days) and 10 were submitted to the association of albendazole (400 mg/two times per day for 7 days) plus metronidazole (250 mg/three times per day for 7 days). All patients were evaluated both for clinical and parasitological status, immediately before and after therapy and, then, 4 weeks later. Only 3 patients of those treated with albendazole alone, showed a clinical and parasitological remission at the end of therapy, and one of them relapsed 4 weeks later. All patients who underwent albendazolemetronidazole association responded to the therapy and all except one were defined as "cured" 4 weeks later. Our study demonstrates that albendazole alone is not an effective therapeutic alternative for "metronidazole-resistant" giardiasis. The association of metronidazole plus albendazole seems synergic and deserves further studies.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Malattie Infettive, Università degli Studi di Catania.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Cacopardo
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Patamia
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Bonaccorso
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Di Paola
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bonforte
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Brancati
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015766:Albendazole / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000818:Animals; D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004357:Drug Synergism; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D016829:Giardia lamblia / Q000187:drug effects; D005873:Giardiasis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000469:parasitology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008795:Metronidazole / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents; D008795:Metronidazole; D015766:Albendazole
vernacular_title: Efficacia sinergica dell'associazione albendazolo-metronidazolo nella giardiasi refrattaria a monoterapia con metronidazolo.