title: Effect of mebendazole on human cystic echinococcosis: the role of dosage and treatment duration.
abstract: Fifty-three patients with single, multiple and/or multi-organ hydatid cysts were treated with mebendazole, in varying dosages (30-70 mg/kg.day) and over varying periods (6-24 months). Treatment failure was recorded if the mebendazole had no apparent effect on cyst morphology (monitored by radiology, ultrasonography and computed tomography) or only a parasitostatic effect (characterized by mixed and transitory, hypo- and hyper-echoic changes in the lesions). Cure was indicated by a parasitocidal effect (characterized by a totally echogenic picture, increased density of the cyst contents, reduction in the size or complete disappearance of the cysts, complete detachment of the endocysts and/or calcification of the cyst wall). Treatment failure was seen in about 40% of the patients and cure in about 38%; the other 23% had an intermediate result considered as an improvement. Cure rates increased both with dosage and duration, daily dosages of 60-70, 50 and 30-40 mg/kg curing 48%, 33% and 25%, respectively. The pre-treatment condition of any cysts should be taken into consideration when determining dosage and treatment duration.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, Parasitology, Epidemiology and Tropical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Medicine, Sofia, Bulgaria.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Vutova
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mechkov
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vachkov
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Petkov
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Georgiev
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Handjiev
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ivanov
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Todorov
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000871:Anthelmintics / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004443:Echinococcosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008463:Mebendazole / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008875:Middle Aged; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014463:Ultrasonography
chemical_list: D000871:Anthelmintics; D008463:Mebendazole