title: Treatment failure in intestinal strongyloidiasis: an indicator of HTLV-I infection.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The association of severe strongyloides with HTLV-I is well known; however, the seroprevalence of HTLV-I in other groups with strongyloidiasis is still unknown. We conducted a prospective study in patients with intestinal strongyloidiasis without known immunodepression who failed to respond to standard therapy with ivermectin or thiabendazole (failure was defined as one positive stool examination at the post-therapy follow up). All these patients were tested for HTLV-I by ELISA and Western Blot.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Forty seven patients were evaluated: 74.5% (35 out of 47) were HTLV-I positive, without significant difference between males (76%) and females (72.7%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We recommend that all patients with uncomplicated intestinal strongyloidiasis, who fail standard therapy, be studied for HTLV-I infection.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Medicina Tropical Alexander von Humboldt, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Perú.
authors.forename: Angelica
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Terashima
authors.forename: Humberto
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Alvarez
authors.forename: Raúl
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tello
authors.forename: Rosa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Infante
authors.forename: David O
authors.initials: DO
authors.lastname: Freedman
authors.forename: Eduardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gotuzzo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000969:Antinematodal Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002648:Child; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D015490:HTLV-I Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D007411:Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D007559:Ivermectin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017171:Strongyloides stercoralis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013322:Strongyloidiasis / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013827:Thiabendazole / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017211:Treatment Failure
chemical_list: D000969:Antinematodal Agents; D007559:Ivermectin; D013827:Thiabendazole