title: Effects of a 3-day regimen of albendazole (800 mg daily) on Loa loa microfilaraemia.
abstract: The encephalopathy that sometimes develops after ivermectin treatment in patients with high Loa microfilaraemias is probably related to a massive effect of the drug on the Loa microfilariae. A trial was therefore conducted to evaluate whether a course of albendazole would bring about a slower decrease in the Loa microfilaraemia, and thus could be used as a mass 'clearing' treatment, before the distribution of ivermectin in areas where onchocerciasis and loiasis are co-endemic. The Loa microfilarial loads were followed monthly for 9 months in two groups of subjects, one treated with albendazole (400 mg twice a day for 3 days), and the other with vitamin (B(1), B(6) and B(12)) tablets. There were no significant between-group differences in the microfilarial loads at any of the examination rounds. During the follow-up period, there was also no significant change in the overall loads among those treated with albendazole, although the counts in those with high initial microfilaraemias (>8000 microfilariae/ml) tended to decrease progressively during the first 3 months. Further trials should now be performed, to evaluate the effects on Loa loa of two courses of albendazole given 2-3 months apart.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire mixte IRD-CPC d'Epidémiologie et de Santé Publique, Centre Pasteur du Cameroun, B.P. 1274, Yaoundé, Cameroon.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tsague-Dongmo
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kamgno
authors.forename: S D S
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Pion
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Moyou-Somo
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Boussinesq
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015766:Albendazole / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000818:Animals; D002163:Cameroon; D002648:Child; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D005369:Filaricides / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D007559:Ivermectin / Q000009:adverse effects; D008117:Loa / Q000187:drug effects; D008118:Loiasis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008842:Microfilariae / Q000187:drug effects; D008875:Middle Aged; D018512:Parasitemia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
chemical_list: D005369:Filaricides; D007559:Ivermectin; D015766:Albendazole