title: Artesunate plus sulfadoxine/pyrimethamine versus praziquantel in the treatment of Schistosoma mansoni in eastern Sudan.
abstract: The efficacy and safety of oral artesunate+sulfadoxine/pyrimethamine (AS+SP) (4 mg/kg AS for 3 consecutive days+25 mg sulfadoxine on Day 0) in the treatment of Schistosoma mansoni infections were compared with those of praziquantel (PZQ) (40 mg/kg) among infected schoolchildren (46 in each study arm) in eastern Sudan. The cure rate at 28 days was 58.6% in the AS+SP group and 100% in the PZQ group (P<0.001). While drug-related adverse effects (headache, dizziness, nausea and diarrhoea) were not significantly different between the two groups, significantly more children suffered abdominal pain in the PZQ group than in the AS+SP group (P=0.001). Thus, AS+SP has poor efficacy in the treatment of S. mansoni compared with PZQ.
authors.affiliation: New Halfa Teaching Hospital, New Halfa, Sudan.
authors.forename: Ayoub A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Mohamed
authors.forename: Haider M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Mahgoub
authors.forename: Mamoun
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Magzoub
authors.forename: Gasim I
authors.initials: GI
authors.lastname: Gasim
authors.forename: Walid N
authors.initials: WN
authors.lastname: Eldein
authors.forename: Abd el Aziz A
authors.initials: Ael A
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.forename: Ishag
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Adam
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000818:Animals; D000871:Anthelmintics / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000962:Antimalarials / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D037621:Artemisinins / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077332:Artesunate; D002648:Child; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011223:Praziquantel / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011739:Pyrimethamine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012550:Schistosoma mansoni / Q000187:drug effects; D012555:Schistosomiasis mansoni / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D013397:Sudan / Q000453:epidemiology; D013413:Sulfadoxine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000871:Anthelmintics; D000962:Antimalarials; D037621:Artemisinins; D004338:Drug Combinations; C001205:fanasil, pyrimethamine drug combination; D000077332:Artesunate; D011223:Praziquantel; D013413:Sulfadoxine; D011739:Pyrimethamine