title: Efficacy of single-dose diethylcarbamazine compared with diethylcarbamazine combined with albendazole against Wuchereria bancrofti infection in Papua New Guinea.
abstract: The efficacy of diethylcarbamazine alone was compared with diethylcarbamazine plus albendazole in residents of an island in Papua New Guinea endemic for Wuchereria bancrofti. There was no statistically significant difference between the two drug regimens in decreasing the microfilaria positive rate at 12 and 24 months after a single-dose treatment with either regimen, e.g., 50.0% clearance of microfilaria at 24 months for diethylcarbamazine alone versus 65.7% clearance of microfilaria for diethylcarbamazine plus albendazole (P > 0.05). In contrast, diethylcarbamazine plus albendazole resulted in a significant decrease in Og4C3 antigen prevalence (17%; P = 0.003) at 24 months whereas diethylcarbamazine did not (10%; P = 0.564). These data showed no statistically significant difference in the efficacy of the two drug regimens in lowering the microfilaria reservoir, but they support the use of diethylcarbamazine combined with albendazole in mass treatment programs on the basis of greater activity against adult worms.
authors.affiliation: Papua New Guinea Institute of Medical Research, Madang, Papua New Guinea. moses.bockarie@case.edu
authors.forename: Moses J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Bockarie
authors.forename: Livingstone
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tavul
authors.forename: Irvin
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ibam
authors.forename: Will
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Kastens
authors.forename: Fred
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Hazlett
authors.forename: Daniel J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Tisch
authors.forename: Michael P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Alpers
authors.forename: James W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Kazura
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015766:Albendazole / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000818:Animals; D004049:Diethylcarbamazine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D005368:Filariasis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D014958:Wuchereria bancrofti / Q000302:isolation & purification
chemical_list: D015766:Albendazole; D004049:Diethylcarbamazine