title: Ivermectin and albendazole alone and in combination for the treatment of lymphatic filariasis in Ghana: follow-up after re-treatment with the combination.
abstract: The efficacy of re-treatment with the combination of ivermectin (150-200 micrograms/kg bodyweight) and albendazole (400 mg) on Wuchereria bancrofti microfilaraemia was assessed in 1997-99 in 4 groups of individuals from coastal Ghana, which 1 year previously had received a primary treatment with placebo (n = 38), albendazole (n = 39), ivermectin (n = 34) or combination of albendazole and ivermectin (n = 42), respectively. One year after the re-treatment, an overall mean reduction in microfilarial intensity of 76.2% in relation to the intensity before re-treatment was observed, with no statistical significant difference between the 4 groups. The groups given primary treatment with placebo or the drug combination showed re-treatment reductions which were lower (72.5% and 69.8%, respectively) but not statistically significantly different from the reduction observed 1 year after the primary treatment with the combination (86.7%). The efficacy of the combination treatment thus appeared to be largely independent of the type of primary treatment given and multiplicative when used repeatedly.
authors.affiliation: Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, P.O. Box 25, Legon, Ghana.
authors.forename: Samuel K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Dunyo
authors.forename: Paul E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Simonsen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015766:Albendazole / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000818:Animals; D000871:Anthelmintics / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002648:Child; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004605:Elephantiasis, Filarial / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D005369:Filaricides / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005869:Ghana; D006801:Humans; D007559:Ivermectin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012008:Recurrence; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014958:Wuchereria bancrofti
chemical_list: D000871:Anthelmintics; D005369:Filaricides; D007559:Ivermectin; D015766:Albendazole