title: Comparison of different anthelminthic drug regimens against Mansonella perstans filariasis.
abstract: Mansonella perstans filariasis is widely present in Africa and equatorial America and its pathogenicity has recently been reconsidered. Effective treatment is lacking and there is no consensus on the optimal therapeutic approach. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of different drug regimens on M. perstans infection. Six different anthelminthic therapeutic protocols were undertaken on 165 subjects with M. perstans infection and their effects on microfilariae burden were evaluated. Diethylcarbamazine (DEC) was able to reduce microfilariae density in the majority of cases, but it seldom eliminated infection after a single treatment. Mebendazole appeared to be more active than DEC in eliminating the infection, with a comparable rate of overall responses. Ivermectin and praziquantel showed no modification of microfilariae concentration. Thiabendazole showed a small but significant activity against the infection. Combination treatments (DEC plus mebendazole) resulted in a significantly higher activity than the single drugs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Emergency Medicine, Ospedale Maggiore IRCCS, via Francesco Sforza 35, 20122 Milan, Italy. rino_bregani@yahoo.it
authors.forename: Enrico Rino
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Bregani
authors.forename: Angelo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rovellini
authors.forename: Narassem
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mbaïdoum
authors.forename: Maria Giovanna
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Magnini
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000818:Animals; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002596:Chad; D002648:Child; D003906:Developing Countries; D004049:Diethylcarbamazine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D005369:Filaricides / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007559:Ivermectin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008366:Mansonella; D008368:Mansonelliasis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D008463:Mebendazole / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D011223:Praziquantel / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013827:Thiabendazole / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D005369:Filaricides; D011223:Praziquantel; D007559:Ivermectin; D008463:Mebendazole; D013827:Thiabendazole; D004049:Diethylcarbamazine