[Thiabendazole for the control of Strongyloides stercoralis infection in a hyperendemic area in Peru].
Strongyloides stercoralis infection is a disease caused by an intestinal parasite. This helminth is highly prevalent in tropical and subtropical areas. The preferred treatment is ivermectin, and thiabendazole as a second option available in certain Peruvian institutions. The purpose of the study was to assess the efficacy and tolerability of thiabendazole (25 mg/kg/day) administered twice a day (after meals) for three days in individuals with S. stercoralis chronic infection. The study was conducted at Hospital de La Merced, Province of Chanchamayo, Peru (endemic area), during a 90 day period. The study included 32 individuals (22 female and 10 male, average age +/- SD = 9.31 +/- 8.11 years) with a diagnosed S. stercoralis infection. Follow up tests were eosinophil count, hematocrit, agar plate feces culture, and Baermann technique modified by Lumbreras. Healing rate was 90.6%. The average eosinophil count in healed patients significantly decreased (1168 to 665 eosinophils/cc, p=0.006) as compared to the treatment failure group, which showed a slight increase (618 to 897 eosinophils/cc, p=0.125). Hematocrit increased in both groups (2% and 3%, respectively). Adverse effects were headache, dizziness, and epigastralgia in 6.2% of individuals. It was concluded that the studied scheme showed a high effectiveness rate and was well tolerated. Therefore this scheme may be taken into account for control programs of this parasite in hyperendemic areas.
Marcos
Luis
L
Instituto de Medicina Tropical Alexander von Humbolt, IMTAvH, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, UPCH, Lima.
Terashima
Angélica
A
Samalvides
Frine
F
Alvarez
Héctor
H
Lindo
Felipe
F
Tello
Raúl
R
Canales
Marco
M
Demarini
Julio
J
Gotuzzo
Eduardo
E
D000293:Adolescent; D000818:Animals; D000969:Antinematodal Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D019353:Endemic Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010568:Peru / Q000453:epidemiology; D017171:Strongyloides stercoralis; D013322:Strongyloidiasis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013827:Thiabendazole / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D000969:Antinematodal Agents; D013827:Thiabendazole